Shamanism and Rock Art in Far Western North America

Abstract

Ethnographic data on the production of rock art in far western North America - the historic hunter-gatherer cultures of California and the Great Basin - are reviewed and analyzed to identify widespread patterns in the origin and, in certain cases, symbolism of the late prehistoric/historical parietal art of this region. These data, collected in the first few decades of this century by a variety of ethnographers, suggest only two origins for the art: production by shamans; and production by initiates in ritual cults. In both instances, the artists were apparently depicting the culturally-conditioned visions or hallucinations they experienced during altered states of consciousness. The symbolism of two sites, Tulare-19 and Ventura-195, is considered in more detail to demonstrate how beliefs about the supernatural world, and the shaman's relationship to this realm, were graphically portrayed.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

• State of the evidence: Shamanism ↑Supports

  Argues that ethnographic data indicate late prehistoric and historical parietal art in far western North America originated from shamans and ritual-cult initiates depicting culturally conditioned visions experienced in altered states.

  Synthesized October 25, 2026

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on shamanism, most cited first.