The Weekly Photo Challenge is From Lines to Patterns. I can think of no better way to represent lines and patterns than the petroglyphs on Ometepe Island.
When we first moved to Ometepe Island, I thought petroglyph was another name for gasoline.
Archeologists refer to Ometepe as the Island of circles and spirals due to the ancient rock carvings, petroglyphs, carved on the basalt boulders.
The oldest petroglyphs date back to around 1000 B.C. The most common motif is the spiral. Some motifs are highly stylized and intricately carved.
Other carvings represent the God of Virility or a very macho man with a great sense of humor.
All of the petroglyphs are found on the Maderas side of the island. Once we found a pig pen surrounded by petroglyphs highlighted in chalk. Now, that’s a creative way to use some petroglyphs.
Following the Fuego y Agua Survivor racers up Maderas Volcano, we spotted an angel-like petroglyph or maybe an alien in a spacesuit?
Returning from our walk to photograph petroglyphs, we discovered the beginnings of a dugout canoe. Just carve out the lines and patterns, and soon you will have a fishing boat.
I hope you enjoyed the petroglyph tour on the Island of Circles and Spirals.
For more information on petroglyphs check out these links.
Culturelink Fieldwork Project
Ometepe Petroglyph Project
Dreaming of the Prehistoric Rock Art on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
Rewired and Retired in Nicaragua 
Even it’s not the purpose here, I’m very interested about the dugout canoe!!!
Do you think it is possible to have more information about it?
Thanks a lot!!
Alex, I took this photo many years ago. I am not sure what kind of information you would like, but if I see any fishermen building another one, I will be sure to ask lots of questions.
Pretty amazing to be surrounded by ancient relics like these. I’ll check out the links. (Looks like the pig is an example of macho virile pig. Must be all those petroglyphs he is surrounded by.) 🙂
Haha, Lynne. Ron and I laughed hysterically when we came across the petroglyph pig pen. It was right after we saw the petroglyph of the virile man. I’m wondering if the virile man is an original petroglyph or someone with a great sense of macho humor.
fascinating ! Thanks for the links, great info 🙂
Thanks, John and Mary. It is fascinating. I want to know more about this rock carvings and what they represent. Have you found any Pre-Columbian pottery shards, yet?
Those petroglyphs will make some cool t-shirts, one of the petroglyphs looks like an Alien…. Pretty cool stuff Deb 🙂
They are pretty cool. I wonder what the symbols mean? It would be embarrassing to put a symbol on a t-shirt to find out later that it has an offensive meaning. lol
It would suck if it was something embarrasing LOL, I once saw a hispanic lady wearing a t-shirt saying wine me, dine me and 69 me… she had no idea what it said
OMG! That’s hysterical. Once in Rivas, we saw a man with a t-shirt that said “Baby Inside” with an arrow pointing to his belly. And on the same day, there was a ..how do I put this correctly?…a mentally challenged woman, naked from the waist down wearing only a red t-shirt that said, “I heart NY”. We couldn’t help but laugh..but not in front of her. We said she must have had a great night in NY.
Very cool!
Thanks, Beauty. The petroglyphs are fascinating.