Luahiwa Petroglyphs

South Central Lanai

Ancient Hawaiians came to Lanai as early at the 15th Century. Petroglyphs are drawings made on lava rocks by these early settlers. Luahiwa Petroglyphs has one of the most exciting and interesting collections of such ancient writings in all of Hawaii.

Difficult to find and even more difficult to reach, these petroglyphs cover the hillside with hundreds of drawings on numerous boulders. These pictures are very well preserved probably due to Lanai's dry climate and limited visitation.

The meaning of these drawings has long since been lost but you can make out figures representing men and women, family units, pets, goats, canoes, and even a possible surfer. Surfing was a sport even back then enjoyed solely by the ali'i (royalty).

Petroglyphs were made by pounding a pointed rock with a larger dull rock into the boulder thus carving out the figures. In rainy climates the etchings would eventually wash away but dry, arid climates are conducive to preservation of these historical finds.

Petroglyphs can be found on all the islands in numerous places but most are difficult to reach and are scattered over a large area. Here they are clustered at the foothills of the Palawai caldera. Other petroglyphs on Lanai include is a small collection by the lighthouse ruins at Shipwreck Beach.

Useful Information:

DO NOT deface any of the drawings or move any of the rocks
DO NOT made rubbings from the drawings as this erodes them quickly
The hillside to reach the petroglyphs is made from volcanic cinder and is very slippery
Only 4-wheel drive vehicles can travel the dirt road to the petroglyphs - check on road conditions before making the trip
No facilities located anywhere nearby

DIRECTIONS:
The site of the petroglyphs is not marked. Ask for clear directions and road conditions before starting out. Take Highway 440 south from Lanai City. After the guard rail on the road ends turn left on a gravel road that soon becomes a dirt road. There is a large water tower on the hill above the basin. To the right of the tower is a wide gulch. To the right of the gulch is a stand of trees. The petroglyph boulders are located down the slope from the trees.

These drawings were carved by hand deeply into the rock centuries ago by early Hawaiians.

The boulders are scattered over the hillside and each boulder has numerous carvings on it.

The variations in the style of the carvings indicate that they were made at difference times or by different groups of people.