One of my favorite professors during my time at Abilene Christian University was Dr. Jeremy Elliott. What made him such a good professor (and all good professors) was how much he enjoyed what he taught. On the first day of a basic English class, he told us that he should probably be teaching us about the pagans or some of the classic works of literature, but instead he wanted to spend two weeks just on rock paintings.
In Paint Rock Texas on the side of a short land bluff, are red colored paintings made by ancient indigenous peoples of the americas. Dr. Elliott has committed a lot of time working with native american elders to research and understand the meaning and history of the various symbols. His passion and love for the work was obvious to me in that class and it opened me up to the wonder of this site.
Every year Dr. Elliott organizes a week-long archeological dig at the site in which he invites native elders, native community members, and professional archaeologists to try to rebuild a history that is lost. When he told me that he needed someone who knew how to use a camera to document the event, I eagerly volunteered.
For a week in March of 2024, I was tasked with photographing the work and progress of the archaeologists, recording b-roll and interviews with native american elders, and helping engage some of the indigenous youth. It was such an honor to be invited and welcomed into the space and company of these people. Listening and learning from the elders helped me to contextualize and understand some of the difficult realities of my history and the history of the land and its people.
Due to my work with the archaeologists, I now like to call myself an “archaeological photographer” even though I don’t think that’s a real thing. My photos will be used in the continuing research of the site. Additionally, I recorded and edited eight different interviews with native elders which will be used for native cultural education and preservation.
I have since returned to the site at Paint Rock several times to witness solar and lunar interactions with the paintings and to catch up with the friends I made there. I hope to continue following up and helping with the Paint Rock community in years to come.
