Messages from the past: the petroglyphs of El Hierro Island, Canary Islands

Abstract

Ancient cultures have frequently made use of stone surfaces to carve and engrave symbols, letters and messages for others. These petroglyphs usually have a lasting character and are frequently preserved well beyond the survival of the culture that produced the petroglyphs. In this article, we focus on the written and pictorial testimony of the pre-Hispanic era of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), which exploited a series of volcanic rock features to create a written testimony of their presence and their way of life. This specific cultural heritage has been adapted to the specific geological features on the island and the emerging stone masonry skill of the aboriginal culture of the original islanders, creating a unique and lasting record of their ability to use geological elements for cultural development.