Options

Tiano petroglyphs

ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
edited January 5, 2005 in Holy Macro
Near the bottom of the Reef Bay Trail in the Virgin Island National Park in St. John, USVI, there is a waterfall and pool:

13758538-L.jpg

The basin of the pool is rock. There are ancient carvings in this rock near the water line. These are called petroglyphs.
You can see these more clearly in the lower right of this shot:

13758310-L.jpg

It is believed that the carvings were made by Tiano Indians and represent bats. The Tianos believed that when they died they became bats; so the carvings also represent dead ancestors. I couldn't find any authoritative information about the age of the petroglyphs, but the Tianos didn't survive long after 1492, so it is reasonable to believe that the carvings are between 500 and 1000 years old.

Here are some closeups of the petroglyphs:

13758412-L.jpg

13758426-L.jpg

13758459-L.jpg

You can find out more about the petroglyphs here.
If not now, when?

Comments

  • Options
    ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2005
    Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. And you are in a beautiful place, I have never been there, but if the bahamas were beautiful for me, you are just deeper into beauty.

    Enjoy. doG, someone post over me, so people know this is important. I have been rambling for two days.ne_nau.gif

    Please just respond to Rutt. Rutt respond to me, will put you back on top. Wanted to say, "HI", enjoy, good photos and very interesting.thumb.gif

    ginger (I forgot you hate the little people, too.)
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • Options
    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited January 5, 2005
    ginger_55 wrote:

    ginger (I forgot you hate the little people, too.)

    Ginger - What have you got against short people?? :D:D:D

    Nice to hear from Rutt too. Petroglyphs are common in the southwest in Arizona and New Mexico.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • Options
    wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited January 5, 2005
    Fascinating. Thanks for sharing, Rutt. Good vacation?
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Sign In or Register to comment.