Narrows - Site Description







		The Narrows is located on the southern slope of a mountain ridge just east of the small town of Mountainburg, Arkansas. The site is a small rock shelter or “overhang” roughly 15 feet deep and 30 feet wide. The shelter contains a series of painted petroglyphs consisting mainly of anthropomorphs or “human-like figures.” The figures are pecked into the rock surface and some are colored with a black pigment, although on some of the figures red pigment is also used. This combined style of both etching and painting is a unique stylistic variation of what is said to be a combination of Plains Indian and Eastern Woodland traditions.




		Habitation of the site is associated with the 15 th century Fort Coffee phase giving the Narrows rock art an approximate age of 500 years. Please read more about the Narrows in Jerry Hilliard's article, “The Narrows Rock Art in an Archaeological Context. ” The Narrows With the protection of the rock overhang the estimated 30 glyphs at the Narrows have been remarkably preserved. However the site is conveniently located just below a rural county road making it a local hot-spot for years. For nearly a century, the Narrows has continued to be looted and vandalized with evidence of historic “art” or graffiti all over the rock walls. Luckily, the Native American rock art has remained untouched. However, given both the historic and present conditions of the site, the Narrows was deemed as a good candidate for laser scanning and 3D modeling. Grafitti etched into the walls at the Narrows. Note the presence of the petroglyphs in the lower left corner of the image.


Visit the Arkansas Archaeological Survey's website to learn more about Rock Art in Arkansas!		View the Narrows Visualizations!

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