Lone Warrior Panel

The Lone Warrior Panel in the Head of SInbad area is a stand-alone Barrier Canyon Style pictograph commonly found in the San Rafael Swell. The pictograph is named for the shield that the figure appears to be carrying, and the figure is either wearing a helmet, a mask, or it is an anthropomorphic animal/human hybrid that is common in the Barrier Canyon Style. As usual there is a lot of speculation and little evidence for what the ancient Americans wanted to portray when they used natural pigments to make the drawing. Even accurately dating rock art is notoriously difficult: The most widely accepted date of origin seems to be 4,000 years ago, though some claim the work dates up to 7,000 years ago because of similarities with carbon-dated figurines found in Barrier Canyon (now known as Horseshoe Canyon) near the Great Gallery. In 2014 scientists claimed dates closer to 1,000 to 2,000 years old thanks to new techniques in dating non-organic material. Either way this figure is old! It is amazing the natural pigments have still lasted this long; this is partly thanks to Utah's arid climate, but it is due to the masterful mix of iron oxide, charcoal, powdered minerals, ground-up plant material, and even blood to make the vivid colors that still remain. We are still unsure as to what they used as a bonding agent.

There are some good BLM primitive camping spots in this area and one really good one in particular just southeast of this panel. The Head of Sinbad, one of the best rock art pieces in the world, is only a short ways away. Dutchman's Arch, Swasey's Cabin, Eagle Canyon Arch and Reds Canyon Road are some of the other nearby features. Mining, pioneer and native history dot the unique landscape with dirt roads heading in every direction.