From the book:

Humans have inhabited the Southwest since the ancient time before the deserts existed, when the climate was wet and cooler. As the landscape changed, people and cultures evolved, and as they developed in the Rio Grande Valley, they left traces of their presence, signs of life, in their rock art. Ancient images on stone offer intriguing glimpses into the colorful tapestry of prehistoric cultures in the river valley, of the Upper Rio Grande, revealing much about their religion, beliefs, and creativity. Pictographs and petroglyphs assert, "We are the People - we were here, " and portray a deep connection between spirit, power, and place.

Over 200 photos and illustrations show images that have never before been pictured in print. Altogether, Signs of Life is the most complete compendium of rock art along the Rio Grande that has ever been published.

Dennis Slifer is a geologist with the New Mexico Environment Department in Santa Fe, New Mexico. An early interest in cave exploration in the Appalachians introduced him to the fascination of prehistoric archaeological sites and resulted in the publication The Caves of Maryland. Rock art of the Southwest has been a major focus since his days as a graduate student at the University of Colorado. With James Duffield, he is the author of Kokopelli: Fluteplayer Images in Rock Art.

Chapters include:

1. The Land and the People
   • The Upper Rio Grande Watershed
     • Paleo-Indians
     • Archaic Period
     • Mogollon Culture
     • Anasazi-Pueblo Culture
     • Apaches, Navajoes and Utes
2. The Rock Art
   • What is Rock Art
   • Rock Art Styles
     • Archaic Rock Art Styles
     • Mogollon Rock Art Styles
     • Anasazi/Pueblo Rock Art Styles
     • Rio Grande Rock Art Style
     • Navajo Rock Art
     • Apache Rock Art
     • Ute Rock Art
   • Conservation and Access to Sites
3. Northern Sites
   • Rio Grande Headwaters and the San Luis Valley, Colrado
   • Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico State Line to Pilar
   • Espanola Valley, Black Mesa, and Rio Chama
   • Jemez Mountains, Pajarito Plateau, and White Rock Canyon
   • Santa Fe River Canyon
   • Galisteo Basin and Vicinity
   • Middle Rio Grande, Cochiti to Rio Puerco, Jemez River, and West Mesa
   • Tompiro District, Abo Arroyo
   • Rio Puerco Watershed and North Plains Basin
   • Piro District, Rio Puerco to San Marial
4. Southern Sites
   • Black Range
   • Sierra Caballos
   • Tonuco Mountains
   • Sierra de las Uvas
   • Dona Ana Mountains
   • Mesilla Valley and Franklin Mountains
   • Hueco Tanks State Historical Park
   • Alamo Canyon
   • Lobo Valley
   • Mimbres Basin
   • Salt Basin
   • Tularosa Basin
   • Three Rivers
   • Rio Bonito and Arroyo del Macho
5. Sites with Public Access
   • Colorado
     • Carnero Creek
     • Dry Creek
   • New Mexico
     • Bandelier National Monument
     • Chaco Culture National Historic Park
     • El Malpais M\National Monument and El Malpais National Conservation Area
     • El Morro National Monument
     • Glorieta Mesa
     • La Cienega Area of Critical Environmental Concern
     • Petroglyph National Monument
     • Puye' Cliff Dwellings
     • Rio Bonito Petroglyph National Recreation Area
     • Salinas National Monument
     • Three Rivers Petroglyph National Recreation Area
     • Tome' Hill
     • White Rock Canyon
   • Texas
     • Hueco Tanks State Historical Park
     • Lobo Valley
6. Notes
7. Bibliography
8. Index