US army makes 500-year-old discovery on Hawaii beach
Humans have been creating art for thousands of years - and we’re still uncovering the evidence. The discovery of an array of petroglyphs dating back 500 years on the beaches of Hawai’i, on the Oahu’s coast, near the Pililaau Army Recreation center on Pokai Bay, was first made in 2016 by the US military. And now it has appeared again (Picture: AP)
What was found?
Hawai’ian artists carved figures into lithified sandstone around half a millennium ago. The drawings include 26 individual designs measuring between 5.9 inches and 6.6 feet tall, 18 of which likely depict humans. It appears that at least eight are males, and others are arranged in dynamic poses. The largest figure, for example, appears to extend one hand towards the sky and the other towards the ground beneath it(Picture: AP)
Laura Gilda, principal archaeologist, said: ‘While it is difficult to pin down an exact date, these could potentially be upwards of 600 years old, based on nearby sites. We documented them to share with the community while keeping them safe.’ Dave Crowley, cultural resources program manager, said: ‘Seasonal changes in tide and wave energy have shifted the sands along the beach and fully exposed these petroglyphs. This is the first time since 2016 that the entire panel has been visible (Picture: AP)
The archeologists have documented the etchings to share with local Indigenous community members but to also make sure the site is protected from any curious visitors. The petroglyphs are rarely revealed as they are hidden by tides. So when the tides change seasonally, and wave fluctuations shift the beach’s sands, the artwork, which spans around 115 feet, is exposed (Picture: AP)
What does the artwork reveal?
It’s thought that the artwork is telling a religious, ceremonial story. Native Hawai'ian Glen Kila (pictured), 72, interprets the largest figure which has hands and fingers on one arm raised and the other one down to represent the rising and setting sun, mirroring its journey. In 2017, during an interview with the US military, Kila said he thought the petroglyphs’ outstretched fingers represent Maui, the demigod hero of Hawaiian mythology. But it also has another meaning. Speaking to the Associated Press, Kila said: ‘It’s telling the community that the ocean is rising’ (Picture: AP)
When the petroglyphs first reemerged in July 2016, they were seen after late spring and early summer storms, which included hurricanes, with a lot of wave action that swept the sand away, Gilda said. So they were visible for a period and then got covered again. ’So there's been portions that have ... been exposed since then, but this is the first summer that the whole panel has been exposed again,’ Gilda added (Picture: AP)
What are petroglyphs?
Petroglyphs are rock carvings which are made pecking directly on the rock surface using a stone chisel and a hammerstone. When the surface of the rock was chipped off, the lighter rock underneath was exposed. Some of the most famous are the Valcamonica Rock Drawings in Italy (pictured), where more than 140,000 symbols and figures carved in the rock over a period of 8,000 years and depicting themes connected with agriculture, navigation, war and magic (Picture: Getty)
