Blue Diamond Rock Rings in Nevada

Blue Diamond Hills 4

Blue Diamond Rock Rings

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The Blue Diamond rock rings / circles cover a distance of approximately 3/4 of a mile and are laid out in a general N/E to a S/W direction. The rings are also located a short distance from an old Indian trail which was later used by the Spanish and other explorers traveling in the area. The rock rings range in size from about 2' to over 6' in diameter; most are circular, but some are U-shaped and a few are rectangular. Two of the rings have what appears to be a short rock-lined path leading to the opening in the circle. Also, several of the rock rings have a stone placed in the center of the ring.

Currently there are several different ideas on the original use for rock rings. One idea is that they were used for spiritual or ceremonial purposes; another idea which has photographic evidence was they were used as the base of a sleeping or living area.

Spiritual or ceremonial purposes - these are usually the completely enclosed circles or the ones with openings facing towards a particular direction such as the rising or setting sun, or a prominent feature on the landscape.

Sleeping circles - usually have an opening or a separation in the rocks at what would have been the front opening of the structure. The rocks of the circle provided a base to help hold a wikiup-type of structure in place. In the black-and-white drawing and the old photographs below you can see the rocks holding the base of the upright sticks.

The first three are circular, the fourth is rectangular.

The Blue Diamond Rock Rings

Rock Rings 1 - 5

Rock Ring 6

This is one of the rock rings that had what appeared a rock-lined path leading to the opening in the ring. In photos 3 and 4 near the end of the walking stick you can see a curved rock-lined path leading to the opening in the circle.