Utah Cultural Astronomy Project
Join Us in Preserving the Astronomical Heritage of Utah's Native Inhabitants.
Mission Statement
Utah Cultural Astronomy Project (UCAP)
UCAP has a Three-Fold Mission:
- To research and discover the cultural astronomy of ancient rock art, especially within Utah;
- To record, preserve, and protect ancient sites for future generations;
- To educate the public in the proper preservation and appropriate interaction with rock panels and Native American sites.
Project Leaders
Cultural Astronomer & Archaeologist
Join John Knight Lundwall, Ph.D., and John McHugh, M.A., Licensed Archeologist, as they research the sacred landscape and ancient rock imagery of the Fremont Indians. Here is where photos, videos, journal entries, and essays on the project will be recorded.
The Fremont culture is a pre-Columbian group identified by shared archaeological patterns in their cultural artifacts. They inhabited what is now present-day Utah (and portions of Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, and Idaho) from about 300 to 1300 CE. The largest Fremont settlement yet discovered is in Clear Creek Canyon in Sevier County, Utah, and the location of Fremont Indian State Park and Museum is the launch pad of our study.
About The Project
The Cultural Astronomy of Rock Art
While running a star party at Fremont Indian State Park, Dr. Lundwall noticed a poignant shadow crossing over a large, geometric, petroglyph panel. Lundwall theorized that the sun-shadow line moving across the rock image may line up with features of the petroglyph through the year and may have been used for calendric purposes. He contacted John McHugh, a trained archaeologist with a specialty in Southwestern cultures, and together they formed the Utah Cultural Astronomy Project.
The team now consists of astronomers, archaeologists, field guides, rock art specialists, scholars, and photographers. The project has developed a multi-year plan to investigate sites throughout Utah. Please consider donating or contributing to this study by purchasing anything on this website (as 100% of these funds go to financing this project) or by donating directly on our DONATE NOW page.
