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The Legend Rock petroglyphs, figures carved or etched upon a rock surface, are seen in a series of panels on the faces of three major sandstone outcroppings near Hamilton Dome, Wyoming. The petroglyphs are significant as an irreplaceable record of many different prehistoric cultural groups, spanning a long period from the Late Prehistoric (A.D. 500-1700) to historic times. The smooth faces of sandstone cliffs provided a natural canvas for the prehistoric artist who used stone tools to incise figures upon them. The oldest figures represent an early hunting style found throughout the northern hemisphere and are characterized by the predominance of small, solid, realistic animals accompanied by small, linear human figures, some of which carry spears and bows. This early style is followed by several types of solid or outlined figures ranging in size from six inches to two and a half feet in length. Animals are executed with a realism and precision that indicates considerable skill and an awareness of the salient features of a large number of game animals including elk, deer, buffalo, mountain sheep (and possibly goats), bear, antelope, mountain lion, dog, rabbit, turtle, and several kinds of birds including the eagle. Human figures are represented with a unique emphasis on individualized headdresses or hair styles.

The next petroglyph development seen at the site is of one of the most complex, symbolic, and highly stylized types found in the United States. It is characterized by creatures ranging to over four feet in size, figures with overlapping forms; figures within figures; figures with complex, interior-line designs; figures with long, attenuated necks, or with lateral appendages terminating in pincer-like forms; and vertical line figures, sometimes wearing kilts, sometimes topped by exotic, feathered headdresses. These figures fit within a general tradition found extensively in the Wind River Basin to the south, but also represent a distinctive, localized variation of possible mythical creatures which likely are associated with religious beliefs and rituals. The most recent petroglyphs relate to typical early Plains Indian hide-painting. In one area a ''V''-shouldered figure wearing a bone breastplate is seen. At another area a group of horses with long, curved necks has been rubbed upon a smooth surface high above ground level. Several yards away, above a narrow ledge, a horse with its rider carrying a large, fringed shield and lance is depicted.

The value of the petroglyphs at the Legend Rock site is considerable in terms of providing the ability to reconstruct the perceptions, experiences, values and beliefs of a number of different prehistoric cultures. The sandstone inscriptions represent one type of human communication system, a particular method of conveying information by means of symbols. These symbols permit the archaeologist to interpret, and possibly reconstruct the life lived by prehistoric peoples.

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