Big Hand Ruin Gallery

THE NAMESAKE ELEMENT FOR THIS SITE IS A LARGE WHITE ANTHROPOMORPH WITH, YOU GUESSED IT, LARGE HANDS -- SEEN IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER OF THIS PHOTO. PART OF RUINS ARE IN RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PHOTO.

Big Hand Ruin Gallery
CDM- 37

I visited the Big Hand Ruin Pictograph site on the morning of Saturday, March 7, 2026. I was with my friend Richard and our guide Leander Staley of Beauty Way Jeep Tours on the first day of our visit to the Canyon de Chelly complex during our 2026 Spring Rock Art Trip. The site gets its name from a large painted white anthropomorph above and to the left of the main part of the ruin. There are some interesting and pretty well preserved pictographs above and to the far left of the ruins as well. The site is mainly Modified Basketmaker through Developmental Pueblo with a few Great Pueblo elements thrown in for good measure. Some elements are still sharp and detailed (especially the dark red ones and some of the white ones), while many are not (yellow elements are not distinguishable to my eye). The light was less than favorable (part deep shadow and part bright sunshine) and I didn’t do a very good job of photographing this site. I took all of my photos with my 400mm zoom lens, when, in retrospect, I should have taken a few of the whole panel with my new wide angle lens and some detail shots with my tripod and 500mm prime lens. I knew we were going to have to use our time wisely to see everything we wanted to see. Oh well, live and learn! I hope you enjoy the photos I did manage that day. If you look closely you will see a variety of human elements, such as bird-headed, triangular bodied, armless, oversized hands, and hammer-headed. I have also included a couple of Richard’s photos — thank you Richard!

A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE NAMESAKE ELEMENT AT THE SITE -- A WHITE ANTHROPOMORPH WITH OVERSIZED HANDS.

THIS PORTION OF THE SITE IS BADLY WEATHERED, BUT YOU CAN STILL MAKE OUT A FEW DETAILS, LIKE HANDPRINTS.

THE BIRDHEADED FIGURE TO THE FAR RIGHT IS DEFINITELY THE STAR OF THIS SHOW.

A COUPLE OF TRIANGLE BODIED HAMMER-HEAD FIGURES FRONT AND CENTER.

ANOTHER BADLY WEATHERED PORTION OF THE SITE.

A COUPLE OF BIRDS AND A FADED ANTHRO TO THE RIGHT OF THE STANDING WALL.

THIS WIDER SHOT SHOWS MOST OF THE ELEMENTS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE MAIN PANEL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IN THE LEFT HAND OF THE RED FIGURE ON THE RIGHT, A NET PERHAPS?

SEVERAL THOUGHT PROVOKING ELEMENTS HERE.

A PICTURE OF THE LEFT HAND PORTION OF BIG HAND RUIN. I AM PUZZLED BY THE CYLINDRICAL COLUMN - WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT IS? AI SAYS IT IS A STRUCTURAL WOODEN BEAM BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A VIGA COMPONENT TO ME!

THIS PHOTO SHOWS SOME ROCK ART ON THE WALL BEHIND THE BIG HAND RUIN, AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUIN. TWO WHITE HEADLESS BIRDS OUTLINED IN RED ARE PROMINENT.

CRACKS AND SHADOWS NEAR BIG HAND RUIN. HOW DID THEY GET UP THERE THE PAINT THESE IMAGES?!

A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE PICTOGRAPHS ON THE WALL BEHIND THE BIG HAND RUIN - TWO HEADLESS BIRDS AND AN ANTHROPOMORPH. SEE ANYTHING ELSE?

IS THE FIGURE IN THE UPPER RIGHT HOLDING A NET, OR IS IT SOMETHING MORE POWERFUL OR SINISTER?

One of the many benefits I enjoy when hiking with my friend Richard is his sharp eye and the powerful reach of his camera (he uses a Nikon P950, I believe). Often when we exchange photos I find shots that I altogether missed and/or shots that my equipment doesn’t produce useable pictures. The following two photos were taken by Richard during our visit to the Big Hand site. Thank you Richard!