HONOLULU, HAWAII—A series of at least 17 petroglyphs estimated to be 400 years old was revealed by shifting sands on the Waianae coast of Oahu. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. Army have been working to record and protect the images, which are etched into the sandstone. “We can now come up with a plan to further protect and preserve this site,” Army archaeologist Alton Exzabe told the Honolulu Star Advertiser. He explained that one of the glyphs—a human figure—measures between four and five feet from head to toe and has distinct hands and fingers. He explained that many petroglyphs in Hawaii are about one foot tall. “They are an important part of Hawaii’s culture and while sands have covered them again, in time they will reappear and we want to make sure people know that they are fragile and culturally sensitive and should only be viewed; not touched,” added Alan Downer, administrator for the DLNR State Historic Preservation Division. For more, go to "Letter from Hawaii: Inside Kauai's Past."
Shifting Sands Reveal Petroglyphs on a Hawaiian Beach
News August 9, 2016
Recommended Articles
Digs & Discoveries November/December 2016
Shifting Sands
Off the Grid September/October 2023
The Hawaiian Fishing Village of Lapakahi
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2016
Naval Mystery Solved
Letter from Hawaii January/February 2016
Ballad of the Paniolo
On the slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s cowboys developed a culture all their own
-
Features July/August 2016
Franklin’s Last Voyage
After 170 years and countless searches, archaeologists have discovered a famed wreck in the frigid Arctic
(Courtesy Parks Canada, Photo: Marc-André Bernier) -
Letter from England July/August 2016
Stronghold of the Kings in the North
Excavations at one of Britain’s most majestic castles help tell the story of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom
(Colin Carter Photography/Getty Images) -
Artifacts July/August 2016
Spanish Horseshoe
(Courtesy Peter Eeckhout) -
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2016
Is it Esmeralda?
(Courtesy David Mearns)