Caribs, Arawak, Siboney. Kalinago - these early inhabitants lived on the islands from around the time of Christ to 1650 AD (approx). And, although little remains of their ancient culture, they left their mark in a range of fascinating stone carvings (petroglyphs) which can still be seen on many islands, including Anguilla, St Vincent, St Kitts, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe  and Grenada. These mysterious drawings provide an insight into the people and their beliefs, and are currently being studied by archaeologists from all over the world.

You don’t need to be an archaeologist however, to appreciate their beauty. Any visitor will enjoy the glimpse into the past that  the petroglyphs give, and equally they are all in beautiful locations dotted around the islands.

Work on all these sites continues as historians discover more and more of the rich history of the region. What do they mean? Whether a form of ancestor worship, or simple boundary markings, they are certainly not to be regarded as mere curiosities. In some locations they represent the only intellectual remains of the ancient inhabitants.

While visitors are encouraged to appreciate the carvings close up, measures are also in place to protect the petroglyphs, so when taking a rock tour of the islands, it’s important to respect the work of these people who lived here long ago and contributed to the unique heritage we can appreciate today.

Grenada
Pearls, on Grenada’s Eastern Coast, has been described by Dr Lennox Honeychurch, a distinguished Caribbean anthropologist from Dominica, as “the most important archaeological site in the Caribbean”. This area was a major stopping point for the Kalinago nation as they travelled northward from the Orinoco River basin in South America.

The Kalinago religion was based on the seasons. The dry months were was the men’s domain, because hunting was in demand at this time. This was represented in their art by the bat, a creature which was more prevalent during the drys. The wet season was regarded as ‘feminine’  – a fertile time for growing crops and maintaining stability. Other symbols commonly used included owls (representing the underworld) manatees (once inhabitants of Grenada’s bays and inlets), simple face designs, suns, moons, and cosmological figures.

Where to see them The Pearls site is on the windward eastern coast on rich agricultural land along the north side of the Simon River,  about  a quarter-mile inland from the Atlantic Ocean.

St Vincent
Thomas Huckerby, a British archaeological surveyor and missionary, first revealed the St Vincent petroglyphs to the outside world in his 1914 American Anthropologist article: Petroglyphs of St Vincent, British West Indies. In that he said: “Throughout the West Indies archipelago, there is nothing of greater archaeological importance than the St Vincent petroglyphs.”

Where to see them North of Kingstown, at Layou on the west coast you can see the massive Carib Rock, with a human face carving dating from A.D. 600 (though the locals say it looks as if someone painted it yesterday).

St Kitts
The St Kitts petroglyphs are one of the island’s best-kept secrets. The canyon in which they are housed is a time tunnel into the past. Carib drawings dominate the canyon walls, beginning about 4 to 6 feet (1.5-2m) up the cliff-side. Some are difficult to make out because the carvings are faded,
others are unmistakable due to the way they’ve been outlined in red by some local artist. Most of the drawings are of are human faces – eyes, nose
and mouth – but no other parts of the body!

Where to see them Approaching Bloody Point from Basseterre is a small white bridge on the right side of the main highway. The dirt road leading to the St Kitts petroglyphs is just to the right of this bridge. Many locals know of the site and can point out the road which leads to the narrow canyon.

Anguilla
Based on archaeological research we now know that, in common with many other  Caribbean islands, Anguilla was first occupied by indigenous peoples as early as 1500 B.C. At least two of the sites identified thus far in Anguilla can be attributed to this era, referred to by archaeologists as the “Preceramic” or “Archaic” period.

‘The Fountain’ on Anguilla is a cave filled with Arawak-carved petroglyphs. Recently, some 40,000 Amerindian artifacts have been uncovered, and a few local residents are in the process of compiling an inventory of the remaining undisturbed sites, so tread carefully when checking them out!

Where to see them The cavern is in The Fountain National Park, on the northeast of the island to the western side of Shoal Bay. The large limestone cavern is located on a ridge at about 70 feet above sea level.

Puerto Rico
The Taino or pre-Taino site in southern Puerto Rico provides new information on Indian life in the area before the arrival of Columbus, from sacred rituals to eating habits. Tainos were the first Indians that Columbus met during his voyages: they had migrated from the mainland several centuries before he discovered the New World.

The lady carved on the ancient rock is squatting, with frog-like legs sticking out to each side. Her decapitated head is dangling to the right. That’s how she was, perfectly preserved, for up to 800 years, until the US Army Corps of Engineers came upon her while building a $375 million dam to control flooding in southern Puerto Rico.

One interesting petroglyph depicts a human figure with frog legs. The frog appears to have been a figure of fertility to the Taino Indians. The creature was identified with feminine qualities and figures prominently in petroglyphs and pottery designs.  There were also several tombs in which the bodies were located face-down with the legs bent at the knees, a pattern detected for the first time in the area.

Where to see them The ancient petroglyph of the woman was found in Jácana, a spot along the Portugues River in the city of Ponce, on Puerto Rico’s southern coast. Among the largest and most significant sites ever unearthed in the Caribbean, archaeologists said, it includes plazas used for ceremony or sport, a burial ground, residences and a ‘midden mound’  – a pile of ritual trash. Some of the Taíno words were borrowed by the Spanish and subsequently by the English languages, and are modern day reminders of this vigorous race of people. These words include barbacoa (barbecue), cacique (chief), canoa (canoe), and huracán (hurricane).