Petroglyph Artist Sue Nash

Petroglyphs are works of art carved, painted or pecked on rock. Filled with mystery and a compelling power, they speak of the universal human longing to create beauty and to leave a permanent record. They are part of a world-wide prehistoric form of art. They are found scattered throughout the Hawaiian Islands, but they are found almost everywhere—from the cave paintings in Lescaux, France, to the stone images of Easter Island and the numerous rock and cave drawings in Australia and North America.

Puako Fields

Lono Figures

When you visit a field of Hawaiian petroglyphs, you can probably imagine the sound of the ancient drums announcing the arrival of the Lono procession. The natural world around you—the sun’s heat, the wind’s whistle, the surf’s roar—all surround you as you view these messages from the past. They form a bridge from the past to the present. The daily activities of fishing, running, playing are subjects seen, as well as family and birth. Animals and birds are depicted, too.

Some sites have dominant themes, such as birth and preservation of the piko at Pu’u Loa on the Island of Hawaii. At Puako, the theme is one of happy families playing together, but at Waikaloa, the themes are of mystery and universe. Petroglyphs will be studied forever and will always speak to human being, but no one will ever fully unlock their mysteries. Yet, the images speak. They reveal themselves to the viewer and communicate, soul to soul. I hope that you enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed passing them on.

Birth