Hawaiian Petroglyphs

In the Hawaiian language, petroglyphs are called ki'i pohaku. Ki'i means image or picture, and pohaku means stone. Over time the images carved by the Hawaiians evolved. Human figures started out as stick figures, then became columnar with a wider torso. The most recent petroglyphs have triangular forms for the torso. Some petroglyphs were created by using a hammer stone and a sharp stone to chip small dots into the lava to form an outline. The dots were then connected to form the lines of the image. Sharp stones may also have been used to chip the petroglyphs out, by smashing the sharp edge into the stone or lava. It is possible that these sharp stones were also used to scrape and carve the images into the stone.

If you get the chance to visit the Islands and see the petroglyphs of Hawaii, please avoid contact with them. Do not deface them, alter them, or try to make rubbings or castings. While rubbings and castings may not be meant to damage the petroglyphs, they do promote the degradation of these prehistoric art carvings. Respecting these ancient carvings will allow them to be preserved for future generations.

Unfortunately no one knows for sure what all the petroglyphs truly mean, just as it is not known exactly when each image was carved. The petroglyphs are divided into three categories: descriptive, cryptic, and symbolic.


Descriptive
The Hawaiian petroglyphs that are categorized as descriptive are images of recognizable subjects, such as human figures and man-made objects. People, sails, canoes, paddles, and fishhooks would fit into this category. The piko ceremony, represented with dots and cirlces is also considered a descriptive petroglyph. A piko represents the belly button, and is depicted as a hole in the stone - when surrounded by a circle it represents the first born child.

Symbolic
Unlike descriptive petroglyphs, symbolic petroglyphs are not as recognizable. They are often carved in an unnatural manner, though it is obvious that it had meaning to the carver. There are very few land animals depicted in Hawaiian petroglyphs. Some of these animal images are expected to represent aumakas, or guardian spirits.

Cryptic
The crypic category describes the petroglyphs that have no known meaning. But the frequency of their presence shows they must have had some meaning. There may be many t heories or interpretations of what these images mean, but it is likely we will never know their true meaning. In fact, some feel that they may have been carved with double meanings or secret meanings.

There are more than 100 locations on Islands that contain Hawaiian petroglyphs. These carvings can be found on each island although the largest concentrations are found on the Big Island. Petroglyphs are not placed randomly. Some places that have only isolated petroglyphs probably mark important trail junctions or burial sites. Most of these ancient carvings are found in groups, and in places that the Hawaiians believed had a concentration of the cosmic force, mana. These locations became areas of prayer and respect. Despite knowing this, it is still not quite clear why the Big Island in particular has such a vast collection of petroglyphs.

One of the largest sites of Hawaiian petroglyphs is on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Puako petroglyph preserve has more than 3,000 petroglyphs, and at the Pu'uloa site you can view over 23,000 petroglyphs! Check out this website for a list of great places to find Hawaiian petroglyphs.

There are many artists who depict Hawaiian petroglyphs in their artwork. Here are a few of my favorites!

Guy Junker
This Maui artist adds a touch of the sculptural to his paintings by using multiple panels attached at random angles. They make for really interesting and unique works. He also uses slate to carve his own petroglyphs.



Sand Carved Designs
Sand Carved Designs make accurate replicas of petroglyphs, including Hawaiian petroglyphs.



Hawaiian Petroglyph Company
Sculptor Charlie Corda casts these works of art individually in his foundry on the Big Island of Hawaii.