Shiprock Peak rises from an ancient seabed. This 29-million-year-old fossilized volcanic remnant is a well-known geological formation in the Four Corners Region. Many Navajo stories are associated with this striking and culturally significant landmark which is known to the Navajo as the ‘rock with wings’.
One story involves the Navajo arriving – possibly from another dimension – on a huge bird that crash-landed at Shiprock. In a later story, a pair of monster birds inhabited Shiprock and were killing many people. The Navajo hero twins – ‘Monster Slayer’ and ‘Spider Woman’ climbed Shiprock and killed these monsters. When the hero twins allowed the monsters’ hatchlings to live – all manner of present-day raptors were created. These birds of prey established important relations with the Navajo, such as allowing their feathers to be used for ceremonial purposes.
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