FOOTPRINTS TRAIL

It Doesn't Look Like Glass

return to Hawaii Page or Go To First Picture

Here we can see the glassy nature of this particular form of rope lava. The Hawaiian who quarried a piece like this would have cut away as much of the underlying ordinary rock as feasible, and then would have either made a glass tool for himself or used the raw glass for trade. From what we know about other Polynesian societies, such as that of Easter Island, it is probable that only certain families had the right to quarry glass and would have made this their main source of livelihood. The trailhead for the Footprints Trail is on Highway 11 a few miles east of the Hawaii Volcanoes park entrance, but the footprints themselves are very difficult to find. Vandals have removed footprints from the park, so rangers do not put up signs for their location. It is recommended that you ask at the park Visitors Center for a schedule of guided tours.

Send comments to: serge@huna.org