Symbol a is the spirit coming out , indicated by its body and arm protruding outside the covering, as if in the act of emerging. The explanation goes on is great detail but we suggest you read this for yourself. The latter will be available on this web site shorty. In general, the Plains Indian petroglyphs and pictographs appear ro have been drawn in pictoral symbols, or representational form. As most of the Native American languages were not written, these symbols seem to act more as reminders to the story tellers who would embellish the story with important, memorized details and lessons.
Symbols also appear in combined form to make compound meanings.
The Plains Indian art we will be encountering in Colorado will be similar. We mention this because these petroglyphs were often drawn on the same stone walls as the much earlier abstract art and, most importantly, the alphabetical writing that we will be examining. Some prime examples of Plains Indian petroglyphs are shown below. Note that they seem to be inscribed or scratched into the rock rather than pecked, as many of the older glyphs are made.