Nothing can live without water, and man is certainly no exception. In the deserts, watering places are few and far between. Any location that combined suitable shelter, natural food sources and water was most desirable. Large springs were worth fighting over and even those that furnished no more than a mere trickle to the traveler and hunter were frequently visited.

Water must have its symbols. We know it as H2O. The rock art symbol seems to have been a combination of concentric circles suggesting ripples on a pool. If there is a difference in the meaning of circles and spirals it is very subtle. The more ripples the larger the pool. There must be other water symbols; perhaps even maps showing springs and streams. Good clues are drawings of what appears to be a water beetle next to nested circles and dogs (or coyotes) drinking from a conventionalized pool.