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Form No 10306IHev 10-741 UNITtDSTATtS DtPARTMtNT Oh THb INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JAN 2 DATE ENTERED tiff 2 4 I9f 2 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS __________TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS_________ NAME HISTORIC AND/OR COMMON Petroglyph Site LOCATION W-^.''- *,i.- FOR PUBLICATION VICINITY OF NGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Virgin Islands S.TATE Virgin Islands CODE 078 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT _ BUILDINGIS) _ STRUCTURE ASITE —OBJECT OWNERSHIP -X PUB LIC _ PRIVATE —BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION /\AftlN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS _ OCCUPIED X_UNOCCUPIED _ WORK IN PROGRESS . ACCESSIBLE /^ffYES RESTRICTED — YES UNRESTRICTED —NO • CODE PRESENT USE —AGRICULTURE —MUSEUM — COMMERCIAL X-PARK — EDUCATIONAL _ ENTERTAINMENT — GOVERNMENT _INOUSTRIAL —MILITARY —PRIVATE RESIDENCE —RELIGIOUS — SCIENTIFIC — TRANSPORTATION — OTHER AGENCY REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS - ^Southeast Region, National Park Serivce STREET 8. NUMBER 1895 Phoenix Boulevard CITY TOWN Atlanta VICINITY OF STATE Gpornia LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Registry of Dpprk. Office of Lieutenant G COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC STREETS. NUMBER Kino Street. Government Hill CITY TOWN Charlotte Amalie. St.. STATE Virnin Islands tl REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Historic Resources Management Plan. Virgin Islands National DATE June 1973 X—FEDERAL _STATE —COUNTY —LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SUHVEYRECORDS vj rgi n Islands national Park __ CITY. TOWN P.O. Box Charlotte Amalie . St. Thomas STATF Virgin Islands DESCRIPTION Vfct 1*1* A-EXCELLENT _GOOD _FAIR CONDITION _DETERIOHATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE X_UNALT6RED —ALTERED • CHECK ONE V ^ORIGINAL SITE MOVED D'ATF DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWNI PHYSICAL APPEARANCE CONTEXT The Petroglyph Site was located by Theodoor de Booy during a 1916-1917 expedition sponsored by the Museum of the American Indian. The site was noted by Gudmund Hutt during his 1922-23 expedition also. In 1960 Frederick W^Teidi^relocated the Petroglyph Site during an archeological reconnaissance IHIHWHIP The National Park Service conducted an archeological survey of Virginl^arras^ National Park in 1976 to assess prehistoric cultural remains and determined that the Petroglyph Site was one of four sites eligible for nomination to the National Register. The cultural affiliation of the petroglyphs is unknown. It has been suggested that the petroglyphs may be the work of the Arawak Indians, the Caribs, or possibly the slave population on the island. Similarly, the function of the petroglyphs is also unknown. Speculation has generally centered upon some relationship to ceremonial or religious activities, although this is not certain. INTERNAL COMPOSITION There are ;e sets of petroglyphs. __^____ ___ _____^____ The largest figure is in the shape of a sandglass or a figure-eight. Some of the other figures look like crudely drawn human faces, with circles for faces, smaller circles or dots for the eyes, and lines for the mouths. Some have extra "lines below the large circle which have been interpreted as arms and legs. This group of figures is 10 feet 4 inches in length. The second qrou to the left ^^__ which resembTe human the same large rock as the first group but i This group consists of six figures, two of simple faces. The third set of carvings is on the HHHHlHMiHMIHHi and consists of three figures. One which has causecRpecfnationas^c^iTsorTgTn and meaning is in the shape of a cross, 17 inches high and 11 inches long at the cross arm. Petroglyphs are found on many of the islands of the West Indies. Although some are certainly unknown because they are hidden in inaccessible places or by heavy under growth, most sites found in the open are generally near running water. The Petroglyph to this type of distribution pattern. [1 SIGNIFICANCE PERIOC) X-PREHISTORIC _ 1400-1499 _ 1500-1599 — 16OO-1699 _17OO-1799 — 18OO-1899 _19OO AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW JtARCHEOLOGY PREHISTORIC _ARCHEOLOGY HISTORIC _AGRICULTURE _ARCHITECTURE _ART _COMMERCE —COMMUNICATIONS _COMMUNITY PLANNING —CONSERVATION —ECONOMICS —EDUCATION —ENGINEERING — EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT —INDUSTRY —INVENTION — LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE —LAW —LITERATURE _MILITARY _MUSIC —PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _ RELIGION -SCIENCE -SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN - THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER ISPET'Cvi $PECIFIC DATES BUILDER/ARCHITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Although petroglyphs are found throughou^jhejilandsofthe West Indies, the Petroglyph Site contains the only known petroglyphsvHI^IHJiHHB The origin, cultural affiliation, and function of the petroglyphs at the Petroglyph Site are all unknown, and further study is required before these can be determined, pe Booy, among others, concluded that these carvings were made by the Carib peoples; Rouse and others have concluded that they were made by the Arawaks. Prokopetz and Hamilton of the 1976 NPS survey felt that the petroglyphs did not appear to be pre- tnstoric and may in fact have been carved by members of the slave population on Similarly, speculation concerning the function of the petroglyphs has varied. It has been suggested that they may be idle doodlings; they may have been produced or utilized during some type of religious or ceremonial activity; they may contain a story or history of some sort; they may mark an assembly point of some kind. Because the Petroglyph Site is well preserved it provides an excellent opportunity for research into questions of origin and function. A comparative study of the Petroglyph Site carvings with other petroglyphs throughout the West Indies may ticate whether they were carved by prehistoric peoples or by the slave population A comparative study of the motifs and forms of the petroglyphs with aborigThal"and slave ceramic motifs might also clarify the origins of the petroglyphs. Certainly function may prove to be more difficult to determine than origin, but comparative study of the Petroglyph Site with other petroglyph sites 1n the Caribbean and Middle and South American may provide some insight into the functions. Its location near running water and the spatial arrangement of the carvings may provide information about function as well as information about concepts of space and symbolism of the culture which created them. 0JMAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES . .*"• --' de Booy, Theodoor and John T. Fan's 1918 The Virgin Islands - Our New Possessions and the British Islands. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company. (see continuation sheet) 3GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY UTM REFERENCES jj I . t . 1 . . NORTHING ZONE EASTING .._........_ Cl . I I I . I , . I I . I . I . . I Bl . I I I . I . . ZONE EASTING Dl . 1 NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE . CODE _ COUNTY .. CODE A//? STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME/ TITLE Lindsay Christine Beditz, Park Technician (Archeologist) ORGANIZATION Southeast Archeological Center DATE June 28. 1978 STREET* NUMBER P.O. Box 2416 TELEPHONE 904/222-1167 CITY OR TOWN Tallahassee, STATE Florida 32304 CERTIFICATION OF NOMINATION STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER RECOMMENDATION YES '. NO___ NONE ~>S2 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE In compliance with' Executive Order 11593!, 1 hereby nominate this property'to the National Register, certifying that the State Historic Preservation Officer has been allowed 90 days in which to present the nomination^ the State Review Board and to evaluate its significance. The evaluated level of^n^l«fS9ce ft 1__National __Stat*\_l^lLocal. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE _,// /, Hf) (/j/fbst-s+JtS ' A - ————————————————,—————,—————————/"'-'•' "——-«••;, • "...f "•,».. ,__ , -ij——————————rlV"f——\————fT-T$*>—***,**£ m*\*^ -J^f ——— -jf-f ———'—————————-———*-———"—————'————-————————"—————————— ~7 TITLE DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE FtCE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION DATE KEEPER OF THE NATION A REGISTER * GPO B U'i-2 1 4 Form No 10-300a .Rev 10-741 UMThD STATES DtPARTMENT Oh THh INTERIOR . NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED .DATE ENTERED CONTI NUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE Petroglyph Site Virgin Islands 7 1 DESCRIPTION (continued) BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATIONS The boundaries of the site include all known petroglyphic features in the area. No other evidence of occupation or utilization of the site is known, so only that area containing the petroglyphs is included. The site is less than one acre in size. ENVIRONMENT ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS No excavations have been done at the Petroglyph Site. Because the area is relatively inaccessible and not suitable for occupation, no other investigations have been carried out other than surveys to locate the site. INTRUSIONS AND DATA LIMITATIONS At the present there is no threat to the site from agriculture or further development. Because the petroglyphs are relatively inaccessible (i.e., at the water line and on solid rock face) vandalism has not yet affected the integrity of the carvings. Natural weathering of the rock is presently the only threat to the petroglyphs. Form No 10-300a IRev 10-74) UNITtD STATES DtPARTMtNT OF THh INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY •NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED JAN 2 0 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTEREO CONTINUATION SHEET __________ ITEM NUMBER_______PAGE____________________ Petroglyph Site Virgin Islands 9 2 MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Hatch, Charles E. 1972 Virgin EsJiands National Park - St. John Island ("The Quiet Place"). Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. Hatt, Gudmund 1924 Archaeology of the Virgin Islands. Proceedings of the Twenty-first International Congress of Americanists, First Park. The Hague, pp. 29-42. Prokopetz, A. Wayne and Christopher E. Hamilton 1977 Survey and Assessment of the Prehistoric Archeological Sites in Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. National Park Service, Southeast Archeological Center, Tallahassee, Florida. Sleight, Frederick W. 1962 Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Island of St. John, United States Virgin Islands. The William L. Bryant Foundation, American Studies, Report No. 3 Orlando, Florida.