Guardians of the Secret represents a nearly complete synthesis of Pollock's sources, with imagery rooted in archaic forms. Two Northwest Indian totems flank the sides, on the bottom is a dog reminiscent of the jackal-god of the ancient Egyptian underworld, and an African mask, a scarablike embryo, and a rooster line up like relics across the top. In the center, there is a densely inscribed slab reminiscent of ancient tombs.