Gordon's Panel, also known as Shamans Gallery

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Gordon’s Panel, also known as Shamans’ Gallery, contains the oldest prehistoric evidence of man in the Grand Canyon and is quite possibly the most important rock art panel discovered on the North American continent.

The site was used by Indian shamans to try and communicate with the supernatural for thousands of years. Did they actually see what they painted? The images are multicolored, abstract, and life sized. Underlying these figures are earlier images. Some of the smaller figures in the caves, the oldest paintings, look like neanderthal man paintings. Other paintings look like deer with huge antlers, “space men” with antennas, and objects that look like space craft. The writings here The oldest prehistoric evidence of man in the Grand Canyon and is possibly the most important rock art panel discovered on the North American continent dating back 1400 to 20,000 years.

Despite the importance of and unusual nature of this site, very little research has been done. There have been no excavations near the site to help determine who the artists could have been or how they lived. The age of the site remains estimated, as most of the paintings were done with mineral pigments that cannot be carbon dated. However, it might be possible to test for organic dyes that could be carbon dated, such as Oregon Grape, a dye well known to indians that produces a yellow color.

Lastly, the site has not been protected properly by the Park Service and vandalism has started to occur. Partially this is because it is in such a remote location of the Grand Canyon and is thereby a difficult area to protect. But as a result of this, the Park Service has not advertised the site to the public either. Gordon’s Panel has been kept a “secret” for a long time; it is time for this to change.

Gordon’s Panel is in a remote location. It is possible to hike there and back in one day from BLM land if you are in shape. If you are unsure you can find the location from the maps provided, purchase a topographical map of the area to compare against. We do not recommend hiking in the hot summer months, as temperatures can exceed 120 degrees fahrenheit. Be sure to bring plenty of water, food, and first aid gear. If you plan on a multiple day journey, make sure you have the appropriate backcountry permits from the Grand Canyon backcountry office.
GPS Coordinates to Panel : 36.3646 latitude, -112.89703 longitude

GPS Coordinates to Trail Head 36.33917 latitude, -112.92705 longitude

Foot Note: This is a very strenuous hike, the trail leads one along cliff ledge’s, into extreme heat(seasonally), traversing upper and lower elevations, the roads are very 4×4 only, Have good/great tires due to the jagged rocks along the entire road, prepare for the worst… this is not for children you will be without a phone signal, and no help within 100 miles. The trip included 8 hours of hiking strenuous hiking be prepared to relax the next day

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Photos

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
Overlooking the Shamans’ Gallery

Shamans’ Gallery
Shamans’ Gallery

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Again great photos
Keep writing. Thanks for sharing

[Hiking The Southwest]

Thanks
Try my previous website/blogg http://southwestbackcountry.wordpress.com/ which I am attempting to relocate the information here

[Gordon Smith]

GOOD WORK and Thanks
Thanks for the truth, Regards Gordon Smith

[Gordon Smith]

Ghost
Bill, From Gordons panel to the South about 3 miles, there is cotton wood spring, with big cotton wood trees and water, acient mines, copper, 100 yrd about from the mines to the west are over hangs with painted ghosts on ceilings,not to spook you but if you camp there at night you will have a ghost visitor that throws rocks, very spooky indeed, have had to bail out of tents in the night for cover, this thing will also follow you in the day, dont take my word for it, at the trail head at Tuck up walk to the south just enough to look below the rim, the trees you see is cotton wood, I have in the past went straight to the east instead of down the trail, out to the Island and then went off the cliff in some breaks and then directly to the mines and then climbed straight up to the trail head, it can be done with lots of nerve, I did it before I got old, Kind Regards Gordon Smith, Of Gordons Panel.

[Gordon Smith]

Ghost
Bill, From Gordons panel to the South about 3 miles, there is cotton wood spring, with big cotton wood trees and water, acient mines, copper, 100 yrd about from the mines to the west are over hangs with painted ghosts on ceilings,not to spook you but if you camp there at night you will have a ghost visitor that throws rocks, very spooky indeed, have had to bail out of tents in the night for cover, this thing will also follow you in the day, dont take my word for it, at the trail head at Tuck up walk to the south just enough to look below the rim, the trees you see is cotton wood, I have in the past went straight to the east instead of down the trail, out to the Island and then went off the cliff in some breaks and then directly to the mines and then climbed straight up to the trail head, it can be done with lots of nerve, I did it before I got old, Kind Regards Gordon Smith, Of Gordons Panel.

[Hiking The Southwest]

Best Regards for your essorts and contributions

[Gordon Smith]

The Debunking by NPS
HOW WAS SHAMANS’ PANEL DISCOVERED? (Source: Gordon Smith’s website) The panel was discovered in 1986 by Gordon Smith, a Grand Canyon mule wrangler and guide, in Tuckup Canyon, a side canyon north of the main gorge. Gordon photographed the panel and sent pictures to Dick Marks, the then acting Park Service superintendent. A few weeks later Gordon received a return letter questioning the provenance of the photographs and suggesting they were taken from an aboriginal site in Australia. Gordon then met with archeologist Jan Balsom and an assistant, showed them up to 100 different sites on top of the rim, and hiked them into the Panel. Four months later, he took Polly Schasma, a rock art specialist, and other park service personnel to the site at the behest of the Park Service. Using mules to pack in supplies, they stayed a week. April 1989 Arizona Highways magazine stated that this may be the most remarkable Rock Art panel discovered on the North American continent, and in fact the oldest prehistoric evidence of man in the Grand Canyon. They also stated that the paintings were made before the Giza pyramids were built.

[Gordon Smith]

The Facts
HOW WAS SHAMANS’ PANEL DISCOVERED? (Source: Gordon Smith’s website) The panel was discovered in 1986 by Gordon Smith, a Grand Canyon mule wrangler and guide, in Tuckup Canyon, a side canyon north of the main gorge. Gordon photographed the panel and sent pictures to Dick Marks, the then acting Park Service superintendent. A few weeks later Gordon received a return letter questioning the provenance of the photographs and suggesting they were taken from an aboriginal site in Australia. Gordon then met with archeologist Jan Balsom and an assistant, showed them up to 100 different sites on top of the rim, and hiked them into the Panel. Four months later, he took Polly Schasma, a rock art specialist, and other park service personnel to the site at the behest of the Park Service. Using mules to pack in supplies, they stayed a week. April 1989 Arizona Highways magazine stated that this may be the most remarkable Rock Art panel discovered on the North American continent, and in fact the oldest prehistoric evidence of man in the Grand Canyon. They also stated that the paintings were made before the Giza pyramids were built. The Reason I made the web site Gordons Panel was the fact that the NPS tried to debunk me bringing this site out in the open in 86, I was told I would get the credit if I took them there, and they tried later to debunk what I found, Polly had no right to name this site, that burnt me,what people dont know is that there was also a documentry shot at the site and I have copys of that film, I was interviewed and the facts are in the interview on film, so these people trying to debunk who found this site best be very carefull, becausde I may see them in Court, Kind Regards Gordon Smith

[karl & janet smith]

shamans gallery
Thank you so much for sharing this site. my wife & i have been chasing rock art throughout the southwest for many years. visited paiute cave our last trip to the strip, great site. i have been most interested in the shamman site ever since i saw pictures of it. we plan on visiting the area again this fall & hope to hike to this site. again thank you so much. Karl & Janet