Petroglyphs vs Pictographs: The Clear Field Guide

Prehistory
Written By The Art Newbie
Pictographs of tall human-like figures painted in red ochre

Pictographs showing stylized human forms on canyon walls

 

Petroglyph vs pictograph is the first fork in the trail when we face a marked rock: is the image carved into the surface or painted onto it? That single call unlocks technique, dating options, and how we photograph without harm. In this guide, we train our eyes and practice ethical habits together.

When I first met a panel at dusk, every mark looked the same. Then I tilted my head and caught grooves catching shadow. The story changed. Carved lines. Not paint. That little shift turned confusion into curiosity.

If you want the larger story—what rock art is and why it mattered—start with our macro hub Rock Art: Prehistoric Marks That Changed Reality. If you’re ready for craft details and mixing paints, take a look at our technique deep dive How Rock Art Was Made. For motif meanings (hands, dots, grids), see the article From Hands to Geometry.

Learn more soon: Our course The Origins of Art: From Prehistoric Caves to Ancient Egypt is coming soon. We’ll connect rock art identification to early monuments and ritual spaces. Learn more soon via our newsletter.

 

Quick definition: Petroglyphs remove stone by carving, incising, or pecking. Pictographs add pigment—painted or drawn onto rock with minerals and binders.

 
 

Definitions (how each mark is made)

Petroglyph (carved): An image made by removing rock from the surface. Methods include incising (cutting a narrow groove), engraving (deeper, repeated cuts), pecking (tapping thousands of small pits), and abrading (rubbing to create a smooth field). The fresh cut often looks lighter than the weathered outer skin (patina), though it darkens again over time.

Pictograph (painted): An image made by adding pigment to the rock. Artists ground ochres (iron-rich minerals), charcoal, or manganese, then mixed them with binders (fat, egg, plant gum) and liquid (water or saliva). Paint sits on the surface; in caves it can last for millennia, outdoors it weathers faster unless protected by overhangs.

 
 

Why this matters: The difference informs rock art identification, safe viewing, and dating methods. Carved lines love raking light; painted fields love gentle, even light. Carving opens options like varnish regrowth and micro-erosion studies; paint invites pigment and calcite analysis.

Petroglyph panel showing human figures and sun spiral in Utah

Petroglyphs etched into canyon rock with spiral motifs

 

How to Tell Them Apart in the Field

You don’t need lab gear. You need angles, patience, and restraint. We’ll scan without touching and let light do the heavy lifting.

Field steps for a first read

  1. Stand off-center. Move left and right; let low-angle light rake across the surface.

  2. Watch edges. Do lines cast micro-shadows (carved) or show flat, colored films (painted)?

  3. Check texture. Do you see pits and bruised grains (pecking) or brushy soft edges (paint)?

  4. Look for overlap. Does paint sit over a groove or does a groove cut through paint?

  5. Stay hands-off. Oils change surfaces; use your eyes, not fingers.

 

A vs B tell: Groove + shadow + lighter fresh interior = petroglyph. Flat color film + no groove + pigment grains = pictograph.

 

What if pigment hides a carving?

It happens. A panel can carry both: a pecked figure later painted over, or a painted body later outlined by incision. Look for tiny pigment islands sitting inside a shallow groove; that’s a hint the groove came after. Conversely, if carved pits show paint down in their hollows but the surrounding wall is bare, paint may be older, trapped in recesses.

Can a petroglyph be painted later?

Yes. People often refreshed images with paint, or added a new reading. That’s why we recommend describing what you see, not assuming a single moment: “a painted red field overlapping a pecked spiral,” rather than “this is definitely X years old.” For how mixed techniques work, our page on rock art techniques has examples of peck-and-paint combos.

 

Field & Workshop — practice at home:
 Shine a phone flashlight at a rough tile from a low angle. Draw one line with a blunt nail (groove), another with watery paint (film), a third with thick paint (relief). Move the light. You’ll feel how shadow reveals subtraction and sheen reveals addition.

 

Weathering and Preservation Clues

Time writes on stone. You can read that script to help your rock art identification—still without touching.

Patina and varnish
 In dry regions, rock surfaces grow a dark varnish over centuries. Freshly pecked petroglyphs expose a lighter interior. With time, varnish reforms in the pits, reducing contrast. So a pale, crisp petroglyph may be young, while a dark, soft one may be old—unless dust or lichen has evened things out.

Erosion and film loss
 Painted pictographs lose pigment at exposed edges first; protected recesses keep color longer. If paint has flaked, you may see the rock’s original tone in patches. In caves, thin calcite skins can veil pigment with a milky layer. Outside, wind and rain micro-pit the surface, softening lines and “blurring” details.

Biology on the wall
 Lichens colonize both carvings and paint. Their growth rings sometimes overlap edges differently, hinting at relative age. Moss and black algae hold moisture, accelerating decay. If you see fresh green on an image, that area is actively changing—one more reason to keep distance.

Human wear
 Touching polishes petroglyphs and transfers oils to pictographs. Unofficial rubbings with chalk or charcoal, sadly, leave modern films that confuse readings and damage surfaces. Boot scuffs at panel bases and graffiti nearby are also part of the preservation story.

 

“Weathering is information—until we add our fingerprints to it.”

 

Myth/Fact: Myth—“A light chalk trace helps photos.” Fact—Chalk and water permanently alter surfaces and destroy data. Use raking light; never mark the rock.

 
Cave painting of bulls and horses in the Lascaux cave, France

The famous Lascaux cave paintings, France

 

Dating Strategies

Knowing whether an image is carved or painted changes the dating methods we can use. We’ll keep it clear and evidence-first.

For pictographs (painted)

  • Radiocarbon dating can test charcoal lines or organic binders (egg, plant gums, fat), if preserved and uncontaminated.

  • Uranium-thorium dating can test calcite that formed over a paint layer, giving a minimum age (the painting is older than the calcite).

  • Stratigraphy on the wall—pigment under a calcite skin vs over a soot film—helps order events.

For petroglyphs (carved)

  • Varnish regrowth and micro-erosion assess how long exposed grooves have weathered, best used comparatively with nearby dated features.

  • Tool mark analysis can indicate sequence within a panel; a later cut cross-cuts an earlier one.

  • Lichenometry sometimes offers estimates where particular lichen species growth is well-studied (regional and cautious).

Shared clues

  • Superposition matters for both: what lies on top came later.

  • Context matters: nearby hearths, debris layers, or floor deposits may date human activity associated with the art.

Which dating method is best?

No single method rules. Convergence is the goal. A radiocarbon date from a charcoal line that matches a uranium-thorium minimum on the calcite over it—and aligns with a floor layer below—builds strong confidence. If two dates conflict, ask what each actually dated (the paint itself, a later film, or unrelated soot).

What if the sample is tiny or risky to take?

Then we prioritize non-destructive approaches: high-resolution photography, microscopy, and portable spectroscopy. In many cases, no date is better than a damaging date. Our macro hub article on Rock Art explains why patience keeps more options open for future science.

Aboriginal rock art depicting a kangaroo in x-ray style

Traditional Aboriginal kangaroo painting from Australia

 

Photo Tips Without Damage

Photography can help you “see” without touch. The trick is to shape light, not the wall.

Do

  • Use raking light at dawn or dusk for petroglyphs; a gentle angle throws micro-shadows.

  • Diffuse light for pictographs; a soft, even glow keeps colors honest.

  • Bracket exposures (one under, one over) to catch both texture and color.

  • Shoot oblique and straight-on; oblique shows relief, front-on helps scale drawings later.

  • Carry a neutral size scale (paper ruler) placed on the ground, not on the wall.

Don’t

  • Don’t flash in sensitive caves or where rules forbid it. Heat and light add up.

  • Don’t mist water to “bring out color.” It stains and shifts salts.

  • Don’t chalk or rub. Ever.

  • Don’t step off-path; trampling damages micro-sites and invites others to follow.

Two quick setups

  • Petroglyphs: phone in airplane mode, tripod if allowed, side light from a small LED at 30–45°, ISO low, timer on to avoid shake.

  • Pictographs: cloudy day or diffusion cloth, white balance set to “shade,” no specular hotspots.

The first time I tried raking light, a faint spiral jumped out. The wall hadn’t changed. My light had.

 

Etiquette & Site Protection

We protect what we love by how we move around it. These simple habits keep panels legible for the next learner.

  • Hands off. Oils darken and erode surfaces.

  • Stay on the path. Foot traffic kills crusts and plants that stabilize walls.

  • Mind your pack. A swinging strap can brush a panel without you feeling it.

  • Leave no marks. No chalk, no water, no tracing, no rubbings.

  • Share thoughtfully. Avoid posting exact GPS coordinates of fragile or lesser-known sites.

  • Listen to stewards. Many sites are cared for by local or Indigenous communities. Follow their guidance and protocols.

 

Etiquette in one line: Look long, step lightly, leave only informed wonder.

 

For a bigger ethics overview—replicas, documentation, and conservation—our hub article on Rock Art gathers best practices and explains why replicas aren’t cheats.

 

Common Motifs by Type

This isn’t a rulebook. It’s a pattern memory to start your eye. Many motifs can appear in both forms, but some favor one or the other because of technique.

Often carved (petroglyph bias)

  • Spirals, chevrons, grids, ladders. Straight or repeating lines suit incising and pecking.

  • Cupmarks (small circular depressions). Easy to peck; durable.

  • Outline animals in bold forms where texture enhances edges.

  • Boat and archer scenes on hard, varnished faces; grooves hold shadow.

Often painted (pictograph bias)

  • Hand stencils (negative) and handprints (positive). Require spray or pads.

  • Soft-bodied animals with shading or color gradations; paint handles tone.

  • Human scenes with gestures and lightweight lines; brush flow helps.

  • Dotted fields and color washes; easy with pads or brush taps.

Mixed or layered

  • Peck-and-paint combos: carved outlines filled with color.

  • Paint-over-carve: later red or black accents traced along older grooves.

  • Carve-over-paint: thin incisions added to sharpen old painted silhouettes.

Curious about meaning—why all those hands, dots, and grids? From Hands to Geometry mini-article maps motif families and shares how to avoid over-reading.

Petroglyph of a human face carved into rock in Peru

A carved stone face petroglyph with large circular eyes

 

Conclusion — Seeing clearly protects sites.

Learning petroglyph vs pictograph changes how we look—and how we behave. Petroglyphs speak through groove, pit, and shadow; pictographs whisper in films of color and the chemistry of binders. Weathering gives us clues. Dating requires patience and multiple lines of evidence. Good photos come from smart light, not from changing the wall. And the best visitors leave only informed wonder.

Takeaways to carry on your next walk:

  1. Ask yourself: subtraction or addition? Groove and shadow suggest carving; flat film suggests paint.

  2. Use light, not touch. Raking for relief; soft light for color.

  3. Read layers. Overlaps and crusts order events without guesses.

  4. Protect the story. Hands off, packs tucked, share locations with care.

  5. Keep learning. Discover history, tips, lessons, and ideas!

Learn more soon: Our course The Origins of Art will connect field reading to early architecture and ritual landscapes. Learn more soon via our newsletter.

 

Join the Journey

We write as friends in the same gallery—curious, not rushing. Subscribe to The Art Newbie for mobile-first guides, field prompts, and gentle deep dives. As a welcome, get Prehistoric Art Timeline: 30,000 Years at a Glance—a one-page, illustrated map of key sites from Chauvet to Stonehenge. It’s a simple way to place your next panel in time.

 
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