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Anguilla's History
The history of Anguilla and its people. Read about Anguilla's precolumbian history with photos of cave carvings and artifacts. The modern history of the island. A photo essay of Anguilla's old houses. Anguilla's national sport, Boat Racing and a history and nature map.
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Arawak Spirit Eyes at Big Spring in Island Harbour.
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The rich and dynamic Amerindian history of the island is beginning to be reconstructed as a result of recent work by the Anguilla Archaeological and Historical Society and archaeologists from numerous institutions such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the University of Maine at Farmington, and the University of Pittsburgh. Read on and educate yourself about Anguilla's fascinating archaeological record and find out how you can get involved!
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An old prision built of coral stone still stands in South Hill.
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In 1493, Christopher Columbus sighted the island and named it for its eel-like shape: Anguilla means "eel" in Spanish. No attempt was made to colonize it, probably because it was controlled by the notoriously fierce, warlike Caribs, who knew the island as Malliouhana, the Carib word for eel. The Caribs, a tribe of cannibals, had captured the island from the peaceful Arawak tribe and had completely eradicated them, not only from anguuilla but also from the entire Caribbean.
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Wattle and Daub
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Long before any tourists discovered the beauty of Anguilla, folks were living and surviving in a place not always hospitable to its inhabitants. They used natural materials at first to craft small dwellings with a process called "Wattle and Daub" and then with the help of materials imported from other islands crafted fine wood structures that were able to withstand the often harsh weather of Anguilla. Sadly most of these tiny momuments to a group of determined survivors are abandoned and in ruin.
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The hardships of life which were symbolic of the struggle for basic survival between Anguillians and their almost desert terrain habitat further cemented a dependence on the sea to complement and subsidize what the land did not offer. Anguillian boat racing is now the island's number 1 sport.
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An island map of historical and nature spots on Anguilla. Take a tour around the island to discover there is more to Anguilla than just its beaches.
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