Ancient Navajo legend says that a huge bird was brought them from their ancient place of habitation to these lands. Rock formations and surrounding land are very important to the Navajo.
In one of their legends tells that after the new life on the monolith, as leaving it only to drink water and forage, he was struck by lightning. Women and children remained above the men who were below, no longer how to reach them, bring them food and water.
It is considered taboo for people to climb on top, as they can angry spirits of the deceased.
Some believe that the name of a rock formation comes from the tip too much like a large ship of the nineteenth century.
Near a rock formation is located and the city Shiprock which received its name from it. Shiprock formation plays an important role in the religion of Navajo in their mythology and their rituals. Shiprock rock formation is located in the heart of the civilization of ancient Indian pueblo, which represent a prehistoric culture in the southeastern United States. Pueblo Indians were called by many researchers with the name anasazi.
Shiprock is formed through volcano that has erupted thirty million years. Magma, which becomes hard and pour plays an important role in Navajo culture, which it is considered sacred.
The central part of Shiprock is five hundred meters in diameter. The rock formation is composed of volcanic mass. In practice it is eroded section of the throat of a volcano. Most likely, the rock was formed initially to about three thousand feet below the surface, but after millions of years of erosion is shown above the ground.
