# When was the White Shaman mural painted? · White Shaman Mural > Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-28T20:07:17+00:00 --- **0** # When was the White Shaman mural painted? Asked 28 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Three answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. ## Why it matters The only direct dates for this mural are four early plasma-oxidation measurements of about 1460 to 2420 radiocarbon years BP, which the laboratory that now dates Lower Pecos paint has judged unusable; the 2025 dating of twelve other murals did not sample it⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKGBACYHRR/implications-for-rock-art-dating-from-the-lower-pecos)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKG27FGC74/mapping-the-chronology-of-an-ancient-cosmovision-4000-years). Its age sets how far back any reading of it reaches. ## Answers 3 [**About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/answers/ANS0DCKQMACBQ74/about-2-000-years-ago-late-in-the-pecos-river-style) None Evidence: 2 for, 2 against Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/answers/ANS0DCKQN65YGTD/none-of-these) None Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Undated within the style's span of about 5,700 to 1,000 years ago** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/answers/ANS0DCKQMS3F3G7/undated-within-the-styles-span-of-about-5-700-to-1-000-years) None Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## What would settle it 1. Ask Shumla whether White Shaman paint has been sampled under the post-2021 protocol since the 2025 study, and publish any dates with their controls and oxalate brackets. 1. Read Rowe 2004 (Rock Art Research 21(2)) and Boyd 2016 for which four figures were sampled and how, and check the 2025 supplementary table S1 for any White Shaman sample. ## History 1. 2016[Tyer: the four dates spread over about 960 radiocarbon years for a single painting](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKH06AXB8N/if-these-walls-could-talk)Against: About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style 1. 2021[Steelman et al.: every legacy Lower Pecos paint date is judged problematic](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKGBACYHRR/implications-for-rock-art-dating-from-the-lower-pecos)Against: About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style 1. 2021[Steelman et al.: four early paint dates from the mural, 1460 to 2420 radiocarbon years BP](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKGBACYHRR/implications-for-rock-art-dating-from-the-lower-pecos)For: About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style 1. 2021[National Park Service: four early paint dates from the mural, 1460 to 2420 radiocarbon years BP](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKGC55AJWR/national-historic-landmark-nomination-lower-pecos)For: About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style 1. 2021[Steelman et al.: the legacy dates are set aside and the mural has not been re-dated](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKGBACYHRR/implications-for-rock-art-dating-from-the-lower-pecos)For: Undated within the style's span of about 5,700 to 1,000 years ago 1. 2025[Steelman et al.: the style was still being painted about 2,000 years ago](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKG27FGC74/mapping-the-chronology-of-an-ancient-cosmovision-4000-years)For: About 2,000 years ago, late in the Pecos River style 1. 2025[Steelman et al.: the legacy dates are set aside and the mural has not been re-dated](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKG27FGC74/mapping-the-chronology-of-an-ancient-cosmovision-4000-years)For: Undated within the style's span of about 5,700 to 1,000 years ago 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question, proposed two answers and found four results bearing on its answers](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DCKVBBWMCM4/session-1-the-white-shaman-mural-added-sources-dating-record) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/white-shaman-mural/questions/QST0DCKPKVJK0QF/when-was-the-white-shaman-mural-painted%23add-source) Where it fits White Shaman Mural **When was the White Shaman mural painted?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]