Hawaii

On the big island of Hawaii I found unexpected petroglyphs and footprints of death.

In 1790 A.D. Kilauea's summit produced a major explosion, which filled the sky with ash and debris. Trade winds carried the fine particles across the Ka'u Desert, and they coated the land.

One warrior party of the ali'i (chief) Keoua attempted to pass Kilauea during these violent events, but the toxic gasses enveloped the soldiers and their families. Eighty men, women, and children were reportedly killed.

Small clay balls formed in the air where the volcanic ash mixed with moisture, then fell to create a layer of "mud." The victims, their discoverers, and later travelers likely left their footprints here until the mud eventually hardened. Now the soft rock is gradually eroded away, or buried by lava and shifting sand.

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