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Discover Anguilla
Evidence of Anguilla's earliest history is seen in several caves on the island and on nearby cays. Pre-Columbian sites are reminders of Anguilla's earliest inhabitants: the peaceful Arawak Indians. These first residents called the island “Malliouhana.” Anguilla is one of the richest prehistoric sites in the region and studies are ongoing by archaeologists. The earliest known Amerindian site yielded conch shells broken into drinking vessels as well as axes made from ground shells, flint blades and tools dating to about 1300 BC. Other sites dating to the fourth century AD have also been identified. Archaeologists believe the island was then inhabited by Amerindians, Arawaks of the Saladoid culture. These farmers made settlements at Rendezvous Bay and Sandy Ground by the 6th century.
The Arawaks are credited with carving the Jocahu stalagmite that was found at the Fountain (see Eco-tourism, page 48), one of the most important archaeological sites on the island. Jocahu or the “Creator-Giver of Cassava,” was probably a spiritual figure that was carved on the cave's stalagmite along with several petroglyphs both at the cave and the freshwater source. Although Columbus came near this island on his 1493 voyage to Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, no record exists of the explorer sighting flat Anguilla.With amaximumelevation of just 213 feet, Columbus probably sailed right on by, without realizing the island existed. European discovery occurred in 1565, most likely by French explorer Pierre Laudonnaire, who deemed the island “Anguille” or “eel” for its long, thin shape. (There is some dispute about the nationality of the European discoverer, however, because the word for eel in French, Spanish and Italian is nearly identical.) After European discovery of the island, the Arawak population quickly died off due to disease and enslavement.
