It was discovered in 1914 by Adelaid Wilson Arnold and her parents. Yes, there are other petroglyphs in the area, but these are from the local Cahuilla Tribe. This design seems to be more of Chinese origin and dates back to possibly 458 A.D. There are accounts of Buddhist missionaries sailing the seas in a Chinese junk, on a journey to spread Buddhism. This is long before Columbus set sail.
This symbol on the rock is Buddhist symbol, what they call a quadruple swastika. The maze traps evil spirits and allows travelers to proceed in peace. The square in the center symbolizes purity. Chinese coins have had the same square for centuries. There are other examples of these petroglyphs signifying a route these missionaries took.
Before this study was ever done, the original family that discovered this rock asked the local Cahuillans to see the maze. They responded that it was very old and and their father's father had said it was made by the people who came from the sea.
Very interesting local Californian history!
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