The Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Site is by far the largest such site in New Mexico with estimates of more than 100,000 petroglyphs at the location. The site near the Rio Grande north of Española covers a patchwork of private land, as well as some Bureau of Land Management Land. Artist Katherine Wells purchased property on Mesa Prieta in the 1990s and soon discovered there were thousands of petroglyphs on her land. She started the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project in 1999 to document the remarkable cultural resources and to advocate for their preservation. Wells donated the majority of the property to The Archaeological Conservancy in 2007 to ensure its continued protection. Volunteers have helped record approximately 80,000 petroglyphs so far.

The Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a two-day symposium Sept. 13-14 at Northern New Mexico College. Wells and Matthew Martinez, the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project’s executive director, join “Conversations Different” to talk about the people who left their mark on the rocks, share the impact the project has had for them and for others, and discuss how the organization has supported educational opportunities to teach local students about the significance of the site.

Learn more about the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project at www.mesaprietapetroglyphs.org.