Talking Stone: Rock Art of the Cosos

By Paul Goldsmith

Hidden away in the canyons of a highly restricted military base on the edge of the Mojave Desert is the largest concentration of rock art in North America, possibly in the world. Images of animals, shamans, and puzzling abstract forms were pecked and painted on stone over thousands of years by a now long-gone culture. Talking Stone: Rock Art of the Cosos is a multivocal investigation of this art.

Acclaimed cinematographer Paul Goldsmith takes the reader on a visual journey through this limited access area with more than 160 stunning color photographs. The book is structured around Goldsmith's treks into the remote desert canyons and his meetings with archaeologists, Native Americans, a psychologist, an artist, bow hunters, and the commanding officer in charge of the military base. The result is a visually striking book that gives the viewer a personal and visceral experience of this enigmatic art.

Includes 160 color photographs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1607815575
• ISBN13: 9781607815570
• Release Date: August 2017
• Publisher: University of Utah Press
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.9" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Cosos Rock Art

It is good collection of the biggest rock art district in China Lake of California. Paul documents 160 pictures to share in this book in addition to his DVD collection. It is an important chapter in the life of Native Americans in understanding their activities. It creates the impression that they were hunters of big horn sheep and not farmers for the petroglyphs included bow and arrow and atlatl. This is an art book to enjoy and motivates reader to make a trip to experience.