Customer Reviews

The Rocks Begin to Speak

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Anyone who is facinated with Native American cultures and history MUST read this book. It gives a simple but plausible explanation for the rock art found throughout most of America. Clearly, the First Americans were not the "ignorant savages" as the Europeans thought. I recently visited some petroglyph panels in Nevada and having read this book, it gave a new meaning to the stories I saw, as opposed to the park ranger's "hunting party" explanations. Also, I would recommend that anyone serious about understanding rock writings should also study Native American sign languages.

Glyphs carved on rock have been one of the greatest mysteries known to archeologists. Mr. Maritneau believes he knows what they are all about. Mr. Maritneau is a Native American who is skilled in the sign language used by the various groups of Native Americans to communicate with each other when the spoken word failed them. To the uninitiated it is full of obtuse gestures and hand forms, but to the adept, it is clear as words. Mr. Martineau shows, through a multitude of examples, that most rock glyphs are representations of the hand signs used between people. He makes a case for the glyphs as "signs" to somepne looking for something (like a water source) or as directions or warning signals to others, or as simple stories. The book is well organized and easy to follow. It takes the reader through all areas of the USA, Canada and many other parts of the world. The premise is very convincing, but I have not seen much else from professional archeologists to compare it to. Most simply say the glyphs are a mystery!

Recently I purchased a copy of this book at a park gift store, for a gift. It was a copy from the 8th printing. After reading almost all of the new book, which I very much liked, I wanted another copy for someone else. No new copies were available, so I ordered what I considered might be the best used copy from Amazon. The used book arrived, it was in excellent condition, but was one from the 5th printing. As the introduction may be different in different printings I wish used copies would list what printing a particular copy is from. The author of the book updated the book during his lifetime, and mentioned this fact in the epilog. As I now no longer had the copy from the 8th printing I don't know if the introduction was actually different. The slip cover on the book was different, but less attractive than the later edition. The delivery estimate for the book was June 2nd, but the book didn't arrive until July 2nd, a bit long, and later than the date for which I actually wanted the book.

This was actually the second time I purchased this book, the first was over 20 years ago during a trip through the Southwest US. The author makes the point that believing all native American rock images are art is selling these people short. I believe him. He makes claims that some is actually a non-alphabetic very sophisicated method of writing and not just "hunting symbols" or "primitive art". Some is, much is not. He backs up these statements with numerous examples and the science of cryptography. He does not claim to understand it all, I found a quote on a website where he estimates he is about 80% correct. The petroglyphs that give information are based on the sign language that all tribes understood to some degree so the messages are independent of any specific language. Pteroglyphs can be art, they can show the way to water or a trail or they can tell a story. The whole thing is fascinating to me.

Last month we stopped at the National Park Service's Petroglyph National Park in Albuquerque, NM. I was disappointed to see not a single publication that credited these works as anything other than art. It appears we are still too arrogant to admit sophistication exists in places other than our own cultures.

What a shame that unless someone picks up this work (the author recently passed away) some unique perspectives of history will be lost.

I worked side by side with LaVan on the Rock Writing Survey done within the Fremont Indian State Park, Utah in 1984. Since that time, I have worked with him on other sites and we kept in touch for years. LaVan and I have discussed Rock Writing from throughout the United States and the world. I was fortunate enough to have him, and some of the Elders, share with me the meanings of the rock panels in the F.I.S.P. during the survey in 1984, after the archaeologists went home. When I began working with this wise and talented man, I tested his knowledge so many times. It only took a week or so for me to realize that he "knew" exactly what he was talking about! He would tell me what a panel meant, the location it was discussing, and what would be there. I would then check it out for myself and sure enough, everything was exactly as he had told me it would be. Our working relationship covered years and in all that time, LaVan was never wrong! He told me he wanted to revise this book because over the years, he had learned much more that needed to be added. However, if you are beginning your research on Rock Writing, this is an "excellent" book in every way. If you are serious about the truth of Rock Writing, then I strongly suggest you purchase this book and follow its format. As much as professionals, archaeologists and even some people who knew LaVan growing up may have put down his work, call it all hocus pocus, and demand that their thoughts and opinions are more reliable than LaVan's are, I just have to smile and feel sorry for them! They didn't work with the man that could prove all he had to say about any panel he read. Truly, the Old Ones will never be forgotten because of his, and his families, efforts. The world and all of us lost a fine brother/teacher when LaVan Martineau dropped his blanket!

I have visited around 200 rock art sites and have read about a dozen books on this topic and this was one of the most insightful presentations that helped me better understand the potential meanings of rock art. A lot of examples are given of specific panels of rock art where the history behind the event is know which helps to validate the interpretations that Martineau shares. I have seen and photographed some of the examples presented in the book but never really understanding much of what the original artist was trying to convey. On a tour at Hueco Tanks I saw the example used in the book and heard the guide speak of it and found it very informative, but with the detailed analysis presented by Martineau its meaning is much clearer. The example of Kit Carson chasing the Navajo in Canyon de Chelly was excellent. I have been to the canyon South of Farmington NM and examined this amazing panel before, but again I never really understood what it was intended to convey. There are archaeologists I showed pictures of from this panel and they are all amazed and make comments about it, but I now know what they stated was incorrect. If you enjoy SW rock art, this is a must have book to help you enjoy it more!

I ordered two books at the same time - this one, which was recommended by a friend who has it also, and "A Field Guide to Rock Art of the Greater Southwest."

"The Rocks Begin to Speak" is a world ahead of the Field Guide for in-depth explanations and reasoning. You will actually be able to decode petroglyphs with "the Rocks Begin to Speak" while the Field Guide has many illustrations of what they call rock art, but they're annotated with worthless (and obvious) notes such as "this is a spiral" - "this is a goat." Well, yeah. But if you are READING the material, it's not art - it's words. You can SEE it's a spiral for goodness sake! But if you know that one spiral means "to go up" and another means "to go down" suddenly the spirals are no longer just attractive squiggles on a rock.

Another difference between the tone of the two books is that "The Rocks Begin to Speak" expresses a respect for native American culture and idiom and takes authority from elders, tribal stories and personal experiences of the author. The Field Guide to Rock Art, however, gave credit to all the well-educated professors of archeology and their educated guesses -(they actually could tell the difference between a spiral and a curved line! Wowie!) . . . and a few Indian informants.

Personally, I can't wait to get out into the field with my copy of The Rocks Begin to Speak and see what I can learn from what has been written there. The Field Guide will serve as a resource of sample images, but not much more than that.

This work stands as a break-through in the interpretation of petroglyphs and pictographs of the Native Americans. LeVan Martineau is to be commended for finding so many keys that have aided those of us who have always wondered. I would recommend this book to anyone who finds these designs or writing interesting. I would challenge the scientific community to approach this research with the same objectivity and fairness afforded any investigation. This method of interpretation has great validity due to its ethnic connections. Greg Whitman, Ph.D. Co-Director - Southwest Coast Archaeological and Historical Research Association.

I live in one of the area's where these beautiful rocks are and it was wonderful to be able to read about the writtings and what they meant. I am "hooked" on Petroglyphs.