Photographer: Calvin J. Hamilton Copyright: © 2007 Calvin J. Hamilton Date: 2007/01/15 Location: Kolekole Pass, Hawaii

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Caption

This impressive boulder is known as a sacrificial stone. It has a bowl shapped tongue that sticks out about one and a half feet. The following quote is taken from Gilbert McAllister's Archaeology of Oahu (1933).

Sacrificial stone. From 5 to 8 feet high and about 8 feet broad with a central depression 1.5 feet deep and 2 feet in diameter at the top. The stone has received a good deal of attention in recent years. It is striking because of the miny ridges which rib its sides, on in particular apparently draining the bowl-like depression. There is a projection on one side upon which, one is now told, persons were made to stand and lean over when decapitated. This sacrificial stone story was started as a jest by a part-Hawaiian women. The rapididity with which it has found favor and acceptance is indicative of the sudden rise and spread of a legend. According to the old Hawaiians, this stone is said to represent the guardian of the pass, a women by the name of Kolekole, from which the gap takes its name.