Tiano petroglyphs

[rutt]

Near the bottom of the Reef Bay Trail in the Virgin Island National Park in St. John, USVI, there is a waterfall and pool:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/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:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/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:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/13758412-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/13758426-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/13758459-L.jpg

You can find out more about the petroglyphs here (http://www.ross.org/projects/viers/archaeology/petroglyphsf.htm).

[ginger_55]

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.:dunno

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

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

[pathfinder]

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.

[wxwax]

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing, Rutt. Good vacation?