Aishalton

Aishalton is the largest Wapishana village in the South Rupununi, set among granite outcrops on the savannah, and the rocks around it carry one of the densest concentrations of petroglyphs in Guyana: pecked circles, spirals, faces and animal figures across boulders and shelters at several sites within walking or riding distance. In the 1970s the Guyanese anthropologist Denis Williams studied the area in detail and recorded 686 of them, mostly humans, animals and plants as well as geometric designs, many of them on Makatau mountain about 3 km from the village. Visits are arranged through the village council and guided by community members.

History

Makatau mountain, about 3 km outside the village, is one of Guyana's best-known archaeological sites, famous for petroglyphs known locally as timehri. In the 1970s the Guyanese anthropologist Denis Williams studied the area in detail and recorded 686 petroglyphs, mainly humans, animals and plants as well as geometric designs (Wikipedia, Aishalton).

What you'll find

• The petroglyphs - pecked circles, faces and figures across granite boulders.
• The outcrops - granite hills rising from flat South Rupununi savannah.
• The village - the largest Wapishana settlement in the south.
• The savannah - open grassland running to the Kanukus and the Brazilian border.

When to go

September to April is the dry season and the practical window. The wet season from May to August floods the tracks. Early morning and late afternoon light shows the engravings best.

Good to know

Permission from the village council is required and must be arranged in advance. The tracks from Lethem are rough and take most of a day. There is no accommodation beyond community arrangements.

Nearby

Lethem is north, and Dadanawa ranch is northwest.

Key facts