A Word on 'Pohagunt'

Petroglyphs were made by one particular group: Shamans or medicine men. These were healer and religious and political leaders who were believed to be able to go into the supernatural world by entering an trance. They did this primarily to acquire supernatural power, which they usually obtained in the form of an animal spirit helper.

But they also entered the supernatural and used its powers to cure, make rain, control animals, find lost objects, predict the future and sometimes bewitch their enemies.

Supernatural power was called poha. A shaman was known as a pohagunt, or "man having power". Rock art sites were among the most powerful of the ritual locations used by shamans. They were called pohaghani, or "house of power".

Petroglyphs were made at the conclusion of the shaman's vision quest, immediately after he came out of his trance. This vision quest involved isolation from other people, fasting, meditation and sometimes, the use of tobacco. All of these activities can result in hallucinations, which were considered to be sacred visions.