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A July 2025 low tide exposed 26 Native Hawaiian petroglyphs on a sandstone panel about 115 feet (35 meters) long at Pililaau Army Recreation Center on Oʻahu’s Waianae coast. The carvings are described as more than 500 years old—not 5,000. Shifting sand and wave conditions determine when the panel can be seen, and the figures should not be touched or uncovered by visitors.
Where were the petroglyphs found?
The panel is at Pililaau Army Recreation Center on the Waianae coast of Oʻahu. It is etched into lithified sandstone, a rock formed from compacted and cemented sand. The U.S. Department of Defense reported 26 carvings across a panel approximately 115 feet (35 meters) long in 2025. U.S. Department of Defense/DVIDS, 2025
This was not the first time carvings at the location had been exposed. In 2016, Hawaiʻi’s Department of Land and Natural Resources described an earlier exposure showing at least 17 figures across roughly 60 feet. The differing counts reflect reports from separate exposures and recording; they should not be read as a simple count of newly made or newly discovered carvings. Hawaiʻi DLNR, 2016
Are they 5,000 years old or more than 500?
The supported description is more than 500 years old. The Army’s 2025 account uses that estimate. Hawaiʻi DLNR’s 2016 account estimated that the figures were at least 400 years old. These are estimates, not a precise date established for every carving; Associated Press notes that petroglyphs can be difficult to date. The malformed “5,00-year-old” wording should not be turned into a claim of 5,000 years. U.S. Department of Defense/DVIDS, 2025; Hawaiʻi DLNR, 2016; Associated Press, 2025
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What do the carvings show?
The figures include human-like forms and abstract shapes. Associated Press counted 18 anthropomorphic figures among the 26 reported carvings; eight appear to show male genitalia, while the gender of others is undetermined. Those visual descriptions do not, by themselves, establish what the figures mean.
Interpretation belongs with Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and lineal descendants. Glen Kila, identified by DLNR as a lineal descendant, emphasized that the carvings record genealogy and religion and that their interpretation should be guided by descendants familiar with the area’s history and culture. Hawaiʻi DLNR, 2016; Associated Press, 2025
Why do the petroglyphs disappear under sand?
Seasonal changes in tides and wave energy shift sand along the beach. In the Army’s account, those changes fully exposed the panel in July 2025. Other waves and sand movement can cover it again. Visibility is therefore controlled by changing shoreline conditions, not by a scheduled viewing time. U.S. Department of Defense/DVIDS, 2025; Associated Press, 2025
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The sources do not establish a guaranteed viewing date or a permanent public-access arrangement. Do not plan on seeing the figures simply by arriving at low tide: sand coverage changes, and no reliable schedule for exposure is provided.
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Do not touch, scrape, brush, or walk on the carvings. DLNR warned that even removing sand by hand or with brushes can damage the panel’s integrity. For fragile petroglyphs generally, the National Park Service advises viewing from designated protective structures where provided; follow any posted rules and local directions at the site. Hawaiʻi DLNR, 2016; National Park Service
Photography should be done only from a permitted, safe viewing area without approaching, standing on, or disturbing the panel. The cited sources do not specify site-specific photography rules, so obey posted restrictions and directions rather than assuming access is unrestricted.
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- Author: by Stacy Phillips
- Format: Book + Online Audio
- SkillLevel: Intermediate
- NumberofPages: 156
- PublicationDate: 01_19_2016
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