Palau monoliths: stories in stones

Our Islands Our People By Raquel Bagnol

There are hundreds of stone monoliths around Palau, especially on the island of Babeldaob. They are remarkable works of art and symbolism carved by artists from an unknown period.

Some of the stone statues are accessible and easy to find, while others are hidden away, presumably tucked in private properties or spots known only to locals or others in the know.

After intensive fieldwork in Palau in 1987, American archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg published her research titled “Anthropomorphic Stone Monoliths on the Islands of Oreor and Babeldaob, Republic of Belau (Palau), Micronesia,” documenting 38 monoliths, 28 of which are anthropomorphic, or statues having human-like features.

Van Tilburg referenced her study using monolith photographs and drawings by Japanese ethnologist and artist Hisakatsu Hijikata, who conducted extensive research in Palau in the 1950s, and American archaeologist Homer Douglas Osborne, who carried out similar research in the 1960s.

Unfortunately, while Hijikata was working on his survey, the Japanese administration confiscated the stone images, believing they were related to religious practices.

Van Tilburg classified the stone structures into different types. Let’s have a quick look at some of them.

Great Face:  Scattered around Babeldaob, these sculptures were carved from coarse sedimentary rock using rudimentary pecking techniques, with sunken eyes as their most predominant feature.

Owl Face: These monoliths have an owl face, a round figure with sunken eyes, without a nose or mouth. They can be found near the cemeteries in Ngeremlengui, Ngkeklau and Melekeok states. According to a superstition— shared with Van Tilburg by an elderly woman in Melekeok, placing a betelnut palm leaf on the head of the statue could bring rain, while removing the leaf would stop it. Only women were allowed to perform this practice.

Quadruped Face: These sculptures depict four-legged animals with a human-like face and features. In Ngerbodel village in Ngaraard, a statue called the “crocodile stone” has a human face and a body that resembles a crocodile. Some believe the stone represented either a legendary figure or a war god. In Palauan myths, crocodiles and lizards symbolize power or fierceness.

A popular monolith called “Mother and Child Turned to Stone” is found in Ngermid village in Koror. According to local legend, a woman from Ngarekesauaol returned from fishing and attempted to watch “ruk,” a traditional male dance. The dancers shunned the woman, which angered her. She turned herself and her nursing baby into stone. Van Tilburg noted that the eyes and nose visible in Hijikata’s drawings of the statue were no longer distinguishable.

Fanged Mouth: Six of the eight stone figures in this category are found in the Badrulchau site at the northernmost tip of Babeldaob. Badrulchau is the most impressive megalithic site in Palau—featuring 52 megaliths—and is one of the country’s most popular tourist spots. According to Osborne’s descriptions, the sculptures are marked by striking carvings of “huge, staring bulging eyes set beneath a bulging forehead.”

Mask or Post Sculptures: These are smaller statues carved from hard, smooth volcanic rock and feature “non-aggressive and more natural expressions.”

An interesting sculpture in Ngkeklau, in the state of Ngaraard, features a cylindrical shape resting on the head, which is believed to represent a man’s “dressed hair.” In ancient times, men’s hairstyles signified their social status. This statue was called Uchel keklau, or “god of the village.”

Van Tilburg stated that there is no historical data to determine when the sculptures were created. Osborne estimated that the older monoliths might have been created before 1400 A.D., as no stories or traditions were linked to them.

Almost half of the statues in Palau are found near a bai, while others are in the villages. Van Tilburg noted that the village statues exhibited a variety of styles, indicating the artists’ individual renditions while maintaining traditional designs.

She added that during her research, most of the statues were still standing upright, suggesting they may still hold some cultural or symbolic value. There is also no clear pattern regarding the direction the statues face.

Palau’s stone monoliths are significant because they symbolize a cultural identity and provide clues to the past. They represent the Palauans’ spiritual beliefs and their connection to their ancestors. Additionally, they showcase the creative skills of the ancient Palauans and affirm Palau’s ties to other Pacific cultures, especially those with megalithic traditions in Micronesia, Melanesia, Indonesia, and other islands.

Silent yet powerful—and maybe even terrifying—these ancient sculptures are not just old rocks weathered by time. Their faces still tell stories, mark sacred places, and offer valuable insights into Palau’s history and its connection to the rest of the Pacific islands.

 Raquel Bagnol is a longtime journalist. She worked as a reporter for Marianas Variety on Saipan and Island Times in Palau. Send feedback to gukdako@yahoo.com

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