Green Castle Hill is one of Antigua’s National Parks/Museum and is home to the island’s megaliths. Reaching a height of 565 feet above sea level it is one of the highest peaks on the island, accessible only by experienced hikers. The site was named after a nearby sugar plantation and holds its place in the history of the island and early settlers, the Tainos. On the summit and slopes of this hill, are unusual standing rocks formations referred to as megaliths. (12)
It has long been assumed that the hilltop may have been used for ritualistic functions or observing the night sky; an ancient observatory. Recent astronomical surveys support this theory. It is widely speculated that the actual origin of the site is the remnants of an isolated volcano and is a natural rock formation. Centuries ago the volcano would have been exposed to the ocean and waves would have affected the formation of rocks. As the volcanic substance cooled, the rocks would have formed into column-like shapes within the volcano. Thousands of years of erosion have exposed these volcanic rock faces resulting in a variety of boulders of different shapes and sizes. (13)
However, evidence of Amerindian activity at Green Castle Hill has been discovered in archaeological research. Therefore, prehistoric peoples may have viewed the hilltop as ritually important and used the natural rock formations in their own cultural practices. (12)
Archaeologists on site studying the position of the rocks have postulated that they have been aligned in such a way that they were used to tell time. (14)
A Culture Under The Stars 