Rock art

It can be seen as one of the Unique Cultural Characteristics In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The country has 18 recorded rock art sites, mostly in river valleys near the coast. Petroglyphs engraved or rubbed on isolated boulders and exposed rock faces largely composed of andesite constitute the rock art of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The rock art on St. Vincent depicts many features that are common to both parts of the Caribbean and rock art sites around the world. These features include numerous small, simple anthropomorphic faces, cup holes, polissoirs, and geometric groove patterns.

Larger, more complex faces begin to exhibit regional, stylistic characteristics found in the Caribbean region. Elements of costume and body decoration may be visible. Some of the images on the Vincentian rocks are common in the Antilles but not on the continent of South America. Double ears, ears joined to the eyes, and head-foot people are examples of such characteristics. This lends credence to the notion that the art form has evolved since migration to the islands.

The complex rayed heads discovered in St. Vincent, on the other hand, are only found in South America. St. Vincent then serves as a vital link between the islands to the north and the Guianas and Orinoco lands to the south. The most common South American figure is a spiral. Except for St. Vincent, they do not appear as individual motifs on the islands. The massive dioramas of South America are reflected in the sheer size of some of the St Vincent engraved panels.

The rock art of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is notable for its uniqueness. The main petroglyph at Layou is the largest in the Lesser Antilles. It bears striking similarities to the zemi carvings of Yocahu, Tano culture's supreme being, and this could indicate that the petroglyph was created by people of Saladoid culture, which evolved in Tano further north.