Dominquez Archaeological Research Group - DARG

05/08/2026

Friday Field Notes: Bison Association with Birth-giving Goddess
Mythological images identified as the “Birth-giving Goddess” are found around the world in various art forms and date as early as the Upper Paleolithic in Europe. They are linked with primal mothers in animal form such as the she-bison, -bear, -elk and -deer (Gimbutas 1989:xxii). This is just one example of many universal elements of the hunting religion mytho-religious complex that rock art panels share across the oceans. Closer to home: “There is a legend [Blackfoot Medicine Legend], known to a number of bison-hunting tribes of the North American plains, of a woman who married a bison and through her life-restoring magic became the institutor of those hunting rites by which the lives of the slaughtered beasts were restored” (Campbell 1983:68, 234). Keyser and Klassen note ethnographic evidence of bison/female human themes in rock art as related to fertility, fecundity, and the sacred relationship between women and bison (2001:177-179).

A rock art panel located on the Uncompahgre Plateau features a prominent depiction of a "Birth-giving Goddess." The anthropomorphic figure is female, as indicated by a subtle breast impression on the right side of the image. Also, the line-and-bulb shape situated between the legs represents birth. [Note the difference between the apparent female image and the anthropomorph (photo right) that is obviously a male representation.] The presence of a cloven hoof on at least one foot suggests the figure symbolizes a mythological “she-bison” being.

References:
Campbell, Joseph (1983) The Way of the Animal Powers: Volume I, Historical Atlas of World Mythology. Alfred Van Der Marck Editions. Distributed by Harper and Row, San Francisco.
Gimbutas, Marija (1989) The Language of the Goddess. Published in paperback in the United States in 2001 by Thames and Hudson Inc., New York.
Keyser, James D. and Michael A. Klassen (2001) Plains Indian Rock Art. University of Washington Press, Seattle

05/05/2026

Today is Missing and Mudered Indigenous Women (MMIW) awareness day. Our hearts are with the families of those affected, and we hope with further awareness we can end the cycle of violence.

04/18/2026

Friday Field Notes: A new look at the symbols of site 5RB.455 located in Canyon Pintado, East Fourmile Draw -- A possible glimpse into the beliefs of the Native Americans who occupied the region.

A distinctive "V" marking on the left side of the panel signifies its creation by a female artisan. On the far left, there is a subtle depiction of the Birthing Goddess (BG), who symbolizes the connection among the sky, earth, and underworld through the act of birth. She functions as a living axis mundi, embodying the world tree motif at a human scale. In prehistoric Southwestern traditions, the birthing goddess, represented in varied forms, is regarded as the womb of the underworld, the fertile body of the middle world, and the opener of the sky and light.

Adjacent to the "V" and beneath the representation of the BG is a female figure with hair whorls giving birth. Additional figures on the panel convey birthing imagery, included the eagle-headed
and bear-headed features. Two figures are positioned atop a horizontal wavy form, which appears to signify water emerging from a spring. At the top of the panel, two trees are included. These
components collectively represent her cosmological anatomy: the Eagle serves as her messenger, breath, and ability to open the sky; the Bear exemplifies her corporeal strength, earth-bound
qualities, and seasonal cycle; Streams illustrate her amniotic waters, life flow, and renewal; and Trees symbolize her spine, her axis, and the pathway between realms.

For more information on goddess figures see Marija Gimbutas. (1989) The Language of the Goddess: Unearthing the hidden symbols of Western civilization [forward by Joseph Campbell]. Thames & Hudson Inc.

For more information on our research within Canyon Pintado, see the link to our website in the comments!

04/02/2026

It was a great time with the STEM class at Buena Vista High Schools! The students learned a little about megafauna and then got to try their hand at Atlatl dart throwing! 🎯

03/09/2026

March 8, Women's Day, is not just some random day on the calendar. It's got a real, gritty history. Think back to the early 1900s, when women were working crazy hours in terrible conditions, barely getting paid, and didn't even have the right to vote. They were fed up, and rightly so.

It all started with women's labor movements. They were like, "We've had enough!" In New York, they marched, demanding better pay, shorter hours, and a voice in politics. That spark lit a fire.

Then, this amazing woman, Clara Zetkin, at a big meeting in Copenhagen, was like, "We need a day, every year, to celebrate women and fight for our rights." Everyone agreed, and boom, International Women's Day was born.

Why March 8?

The date itself is tied to a historic moment during the Russian Revolution. In 1917, women textile workers took to the streets to protest for "Bread and Peace." They were exhausted by the struggles of war and food shortages. Their brave protest was a turning point that helped fuel the revolution.

Their united action on March 8 made the date a symbol of women's strength, their important role in social change, and their ongoing fight for justice. It marks the day when women's voices helped change history.

A few decades later, the United Nations officially recognized International Women's Day. Today, it is celebrated worldwide. The day is not only about remembering the past, but also about celebrating progress and recognizing that there is still work to be done.

We look back at these historic achievements to gain the strength needed to tackle the challenges women still face in society today.

By standing together, we can ensure that future generations inherit a world where gender is never a barrier to opportunity. It is a collective responsibility to advocate for fairness and to support the empowerment of women in every corner of the world.

March 8 is a day for celebrating the amazing things women do every day.

To all the amazing women who light up the world with their strength, kindness, and courage – Happy Women’s Day!

We Are Human Angels
Authors
Awakening the Human Spirit
We are the authors of 'We Are Human Angels,' the book that has spread a new vision of the human experience and has been spontaneously translated into 14 languages by readers.

We hope our writing sparks something in you!

02/18/2026

In honour of the being here’s a throwback to a video from our commute that we got to see a beautiful healthy heard of wild horses in Northwestern Colorado.

12/31/2025

🎉Happy New Years! 🥳
Did you know our calendar hasn’t always been the way we see it now?
Our calendar is called the “Gregorian” (named after Pope GregoryXIII) and is the modern calendar. It’s more accurate than the previous “Julian” calendar (named for Julius Caesar), and this is because of leap years.
Before our current calendar, months “Sept”ember, “Octo”ber, “Nov”ember and “Dec”ember were months 7, 8, 9 and 10 respectively.
July is named after Julius Caesar, and August was named after Caesar Augustus… neither of which wanted “less days” to their month, so they took them from the end of the final month, February.

12/29/2025

Heri za Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa begins each year on December 26. The seven-day holiday offers space for African Americans to acknowledge their history and culture in the United States, honor their ancestral origins, and look toward a prosperous future with family and in community.

Dexter Nelson II’s article from The Colorado Magazine takes a closer look at the guiding principles and symbolism of Kwanzaa. This year, local celebrations kicked off early with Old Man Saxon, a Denver rapper, debuting "Seven Days," an original Kwanzaa song. Festivities continue with the 36th Annual Citywide Celebration in Colorado Springs. Harambee! (Or, all pull together!)

Read it at: https://www.historycolorado.org/story/seasonal/2022/12/16/habari-gani-or-whats-news
--
Denver local Irvin Wheeler tests the bulbs on an 8 ft Kinara for the lighting of the first candle of Kwanzaa in Denver's historic Five Points district, Dec. 26, 2006.

Photo by Evan Semon. Rocky Mountain News archive, Denver Public Library.

12/26/2025

Merry Christmas! 🎄☃️ and Happy Hanukkah!🕎

12/25/2025