Cache of carved stones found in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Piedras del Padre Nazario
Material
Serpentinite
Size
Varies
Writing
15 to 20 glyphs of unknown origin,[1] separated by lines, with a variance in order and arranged in grids.
Created
c. 900 BC – 900 AD[2]
Discovered
c. 1870s
Present location
Institute of Puerto Rican Culture Museo de Arqueología, Historia y Epigrafía de Guayanilla University of Puerto Rico Smithsonian Institution Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
The Nazario Collection (Spanish: Colección Nazario),[3] also known as Agüeybaná's Library (Spanish: Biblioteca de Agüeybaná),[citation needed]Father Nazario's Rocks (Spanish: Piedras del Padre Nazario),[citation needed] and the Phoenician Rocks (Spanish: Piedras Fenicias), are a cache of carved stones that originated at Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. According to contemporary accounts, the statuettes made of local serpentine rocks were first discovered by Catholic priest José María Nazario y Cancel during the 19th century, and feature unidentified petroglyphs that have been speculated to be connected to the Old World for over 130 years.[3] Their original site was not far from Yauco and was underground, where it was hidden under a slate that concealed a tunnel.[4] Overwhelmed with the quantity and difficulty of transporting a trove that totaled more than a ton, he opted to abandon his individual approach and recruited locals to aid in the moving of the rocks to his house, where he conducted the first research on them by comparing them to similar objects from other countries.[5] Nazario would combine his research with his religious background, leading to the hypothesis that there might be some connection between them and the Ten Lost Tribes.
Due to the ramifications that their authentication would have on mainstream concepts of Pan-American history, the authenticity of the pieces has been in question from the onset, with researchers providing conflicting opinions.[3] Despite this, several foreign archeologists traveled to Puerto Rico in order to study the pieces.[3][6] Among those that inquired on the matter was ethnographer Alphonse Pinart, who examined the pieces and concluded that they were "undoubtedly authentic".[6] The explorer also expressed concern that some people could try to falsify pieces to receive gifts in exchange from them.[6] Locally, historians took an interest in the matter while archeologists did not study them for decades.[7] After the death of Nazario, most pieces were kept at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP), with others being kept by the UPR and foreign institutions in New York, Spain and Paris.[6][8] During the 1980s, the Collection attracted historian Aurelio Tío, who tried to recruit a variety of institutions to the cause of studying the pieces.
During the 2010s, the study of the pieces was led by archeologist Reniel Rodríguez Ramos of the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado in collaboration with experts from Universidad del Turabo, the University of Miami and University of Haifa, among others.[6] Radiocarbon dating of soot impregnated in the glyphs supported an ancient origin, with a date range of 900 BC – 900 AD.[9] Geological studies concluded that the petroglyphs were carved in Puerto Rico and that the serpentine rocks were local.[6] Preliminary results using high power microscopes found that the technique used was unlike any those of the local native groups, while another from a use-wear laboratory concludes that stone tools were used.[6][9] Preliminary epigraphic studies found similarities between the petroglyphs and the Libyco-Berber alphabet as recorded in the Canary Islands and the Tartessian language of the Iberian Peninsula.[6]
^Jim Wyss (2019-10-07). "Dismissed as fakes for a century, enigmatic Puerto Rican stones could rewrite history". The Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
^Cite error: The named reference Rollston was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdCite error: The named reference PLP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference CEAPRC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Coll was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdefghGerardo E. Alvarado León (2016-04-18). "Piedras antiguas reescriben la historia" (in Spanish). El Nuevo Día. Archived from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
^Cite error: The named reference NC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Interes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abCite error: The named reference Lost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
and 23 Related for: Nazario Collection information
The NazarioCollection (Spanish: Colección Nazario), also known as Agüeybaná's Library (Spanish: Biblioteca de Agüeybaná),[citation needed] Father Nazario's...
Nazario may refer to Ronaldo Nazario (born 1976), Brazilian former footballer Nazario (given name) Nazario (surname) Nazário, a municipality in Brazil...
for José María Nazario y Cancel, a long-serving and prominent priest of the Guayanilla parish and discoverer of the NazarioCollection of ancient carved...
Sonia Nazario (born September 8, 1960 in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American journalist mostly known for her work at Los Angeles Times. She has spent her...
Rafael Antonio Nazario (also Raphael, or "Raf Nazario"; born July 30, 1952) is a Puerto Rican-born pianist, composer and arranger and actor. He has had...
up, Ronaldo idolised the Brazilian footballers Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazário, and has described them as leaving "a beautiful history in football". Ronaldo...
2010 Archived 7 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine INEGI Mora Duro, Carlos Nazario (2019). "Agnostics and Atheists in Mexico". In Gooren, Henri (ed.). Encyclopedia...
Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015. Nazario, Sonia (April 10, 2013). "Child Migrants, Alone in Court". The New York...
Lobos. When he joined the band, Berlin spoke about his similar record collection to the other members of Los Lobos, where they shared loves for George...
Champion Azumah Nelson of Ghana. On August 11, 1990, he knocked out Juan Nazario in one round to win the WBA and vacant lineal lightweight titles, becoming...
Benedictis. "El Consorcio (Mocedades), Eugenia León, Ricardo Montaner, Ednita Nazario, and Piero to Be Honored with The Latin Recording Academy® Lifetime Achievement...
held land in San José including the rich New Almaden quicksilver mine, Nazario Antonio raised great herds of livestock on Rancho Las Putas for himself...
between the Liverpool and Home Depot buildings, and is channeled through Nazario Boulevard Ortiz towards Benito Juárez Street. It begins its course in the...
for the Journal of Materials Chemistry family of journals is currently Nazario Martin. The deputy editor-in-chief for Journal of Materials Chemistry A...
''Ytterst på tissen” (On the Tip of the Willy)''. The video was made by Julian Nazario Vargas from Animaskin. On 1 November 2017, it was revealed that the brothers...
has released numerous albums, and has composed multiple songs for Ednita Nazario, Julio Iglesias and former Menudo band-mate, Ricky Martin. He has also...
California, 1974. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of...
Gil (1855–1937) The Ecstasy of St. Francis, Stefano di Giovanni, 1444 Nazario Gerardi as Francis in The Flowers of St. Francis, 1950 Statue in Askeaton...
properly and the villas of Cartigliano, Cismon and Primolano, Rossano, San Nazario, Pove, Solagna plus Cassola (on lands previously belonging to Pove and...
Hellerman of The Weavers, who produced many albums by folk artists. The collection of traditional folk ballads, blues, and laments sung to her own guitar...
Carlos Nazario, making her the first celebrity to wear Dojaka's designs on a red carpet. In 2023, Dojaka released her first bridal collection. A custom...