Both terms, petroform and petroglyph, are formed by a linguistic conjunction, in which petro- meaning of rock, from the Greek terms ‘petros’ or ‘petra’ meaning stone[1], is combined with either one of two descendant terms: -form, something whose components refers to qualities reflected by an antecedent (in this case a grouping of rocks) or –glyph, meaning a character or symbol in early forms of writing. It is important to consider that this type of naming alone belongs to a certain colonial project of taxonomic division implementation[2], and yet it remains a useful place to begin making physical distinctions for discussing their respective physical concerns and then subsequently of their histories of display intervention. However, the similarities of these sites beyond their named categorical distinctions remains important, and keeping with this awareness it allows the appropriate space to discuss their significance on a cultural level, as informed by conventions of named display.

[1] OED.

[2]Ibid.