The Lynco Petroglyphs, also known as the Lillyhaven, Horse Creek, and Luther Elkins petroglyphs, are located south of Oceana, West Virginia, in Wyoming County, on a low cliff near the foot of a hill overlooking the level bottoms of the upper Clear Fork of the Guyandotte River.
They are often cited by advocates of "fantastic" or cult-archaeology as evidence that Irish monks visited or resided in West Virginia prior to Columbus' "discovery" of America.
The Council for West Virginia Archaeology maintains a page devoted to debunking this highly suspect theory. In 2018, the West Virginia Council for Archaeology published an open letter challenging the assumption that non-indigenous peoples carved the rocks. Read story: Scientists say carvings in southern W.Va. are Native American, not Irish
The site of the petroglyph is undeveloped, although it is much-visited. To reach the petroglyph from the historic marker along Clear Fork Road (W.Va. Route 971) south of Oceana, turn off 971 at the marker onto Wyoming County Route 7, turn left onto Fifth Street, and follow through the right curve, then turn into the first dirt alleyway on the left. Follow the alley over the railroad tracks and park in a pull-off on the left. Walk along the tracks to the left, or southwestward, approximately 750 feet. Look for a path leading off the trackside trail and mounting the bank to the right. The path will ascend some 30 feet to the cliff.
NOTE: If you choose to visit this or any other petroglyph, W.Va. Division of Culture & History officials request that visitors refrain from touching the rock. Oils in human skin can cause the skin to erode more quickly.
