petroglyph (n.)

"carving on or in stone, a rock-carving," usually a prehistoric one, 1854, from French pétroglyphe, from Greek petra "rock" (which is of unknown origin) + glyphē "carving" (from PIE root *gleubh- "to tear apart, cleave"). An earlier word was petrograph (1810). Related: Petroglyphic.

updated on August 31, 2020