Rock art refers to images created on rocks. There are two main types of rock art found in North Carolina-- petroglyphs (images made by pecking, abrading, incising or scratching into the rock), and pictographs (images that have been painted or drawn on the rock's surface).  Check out the IFRO Rock Art Glossary for definition of rock art terms.  Natives also used drawings in mud (mud glyphs) to leave lasting impressions.  They are found in caves in Tennessee, but so far none have been found in North Carolina.

Rock art is found all over the world with one of the best known sites being the Cave of Chauvet-pont-D'Arc in France . In the United States rock art is often associated with the Southwest, as the dry climate has aided in preservation and the abundance of public lands allows access to sites. In North Carolina the wet climate has greatly contributed to the demise of most pictographs. Additionally, many petroglyphs have been covered up by dense vegetation over the centuries.

Petroglyphs range from simple circles or "cups" carved into rocks to geometric patterns or intricate artistic designs that may represent humans or other animals. Pictographs may also be simple or complex designs. These are more fragile than petroglyphs and will most likely be faded and hard to see. We are also documenting historic "grafitti." These carvings mostly consist of initials and dates, which may correspond to a distinct era in history, such as the Victorian Period or may have been carved by a well known person.