St Kitts / Special Interests / Archaeology

It is thought the Amerindians came to St Kitts as long as 5,000 years ago from South America with the Arawak, and later the Carib, tribes settling on the island before being ousted by the Europeans after Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1493. In 1626 English and French settlers united to attack a Carib Indian community at Bloody Point, resulting in the massacre of more than 2,000 Caribs. Little remains of those early inhabitants today, apart from a series of carvings that can be seen on Old Road – described as one of the best collections of carvings in the Caribbean and St Kitts’ best-kept secret.

Carib Petroglyphs, Wingfield, Old Road Town - Original Carib Indian carvings on a large volcanic rock, just off the road to the Wingfield Manor Estate. They depict delightful lozenge-bodied cartoon characters, which have been painted white for effect.