Big Island Hawaii. Part 48. Puakõ Petroglyphs.
January 2010. Music by: Skalpel.
Ancient Hawaiians called their stone art k'ii pohaku, or images in stone. The k'ii pohaku are petroglyphs, which comes from the greek words, petros for rock, and glyphein to carve. This rock art provides a unique look into the past, but questions can only be answered by speculation, for there is almost no historic evidence of the petroglyphs origin in Hawaii. Although the age of Hawaiis images is not known, a chronology of style can be discerned. The earliest were simple stick figures, while the figures with triangular torsos, which are only found in Hawaii, came later. Others that show carvings of horses and cattle were obviously carved after Westerners appeared in Hawaii. The island of Hawaii has the greatest number of petroglyphs in the state, and areas of concentration are almost always found on the smooth pãhoehoe lava, cliff faces, or smooth interior walls, on the dry and lava inundated areas of the island, and along trails known to the ancient Hawaiians.
Puako Petroplyphs
An area of large concentration is the Puakõ Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, located just north of the Mauna Lani Resort. About 1,200 petroglyphs are in the section through which access is allowed. There are also petroglyphs scattered throughout the Mauna Lani Resort. The Muana Lani Hotel has a brochure and map and offers guided tours on the property with a Hawaiian historian. The largest concentration of petroglyphs in the Pacific lies within the 233-acre Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District. The 1 1/2-mile Malama Trail starts north of Mauna Lani Resort; take Highway 19 to the resort turnoff and drive toward the coast on North Kaniku Drive, which ends at a parking lot; the trailhead is marked by a sign and interpretive kiosk. Go in the early morning or late afternoon, when the temperature is cooler. A total of 3,000 designs have been identified, including paddlers, sails, marchers, dancers, and family groups, as well as dog, chicken, turtle, and deity symbols.
(letsgo-hawaii.com)
Hawaii The Big Island | Travel | The Mady Traveller
The Big Island (officially named Hawaii) is the largest island in the United States' Hawaiian archipelago in the Central Pacific. Its diverse terrain spans colored-sand beaches at Papakolea (green) and Punalu’u (black) to lush rainforest. Within Volcanoes National Park, there are 2 active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Hapuna Beach and Kahalu'u Beach Park in the west are popular snorkeling sites.
The island’s lush, wet eastern side has rainforest, the port town of Hilo, Hawaii Tropical Botanic Garden and Akaka Falls State Park. Western conditions are dry. There, high-end resorts dot the Kohala Coast, and the Kona region is home to coffee plantations. To the north is Waimea cattle country, at the base of massive, dormant Mauna Kea, and remote Waipio Valley is a major hiking spot. Cultural sites include Puako Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, with lava-rock carvings, and Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, a sacred burial ground and traditional place of refuge.
#Hawaii #TheBigIsland #Travel #TheMadyTraveller
3D Laser Scanning of a Hawaii Petroglyph Area
Because of the richness of its natural and cultural heritage, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980, by UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program ( AIST in partnership with the National Park Service used 3D laser scanning and specialized imagery to document some of the 23,000 plus petroglyphs at the Puʽu Loa Petroglyph Site on the southern flank of Kīlauea Volcano.