Messages from the past; the petroglyphs of El Hierro Island

Ancient cultures have frequently made use of stone surfaces to carve and engravesymbols, letters and messages for others. These petroglyphs usually have a lastingcharacter and are frequently preserved well beyond the survival of the culture thatproduced the petroglyphs. In this article we focus on the written and pictorial testimonyof the pre-Hispanic era of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), whichexploited a series of volcanic rock features to create a written testimony of theirpresence and their way of life. This specific cultural heritage has been adapted to thespecific geological features on the island and the emerging stone masonry skill of theaboriginal culture of the original islander, creating a unique and lasting record of theirability to use geological elements for cultural development.