Guano Collection

The 'Saladin', 1850
3330836 The 'Saladin', 1850; (add.info.: Engraving of the 'Saladin' a British barque that made voyages between Britain and the coast of Peru, carrying shipments of guano)

General view of the Chincha Islands, lately seized by the Spaniards, 1864. Creator: Unknown
General view of the Chincha Islands, lately seized by the Spaniards, 1864. Engraving from a sketch by Oswald Younghusband

Workings and Guano deposit on the middle Island; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. Creator: Unknown
Workings and Guano deposit on the middle Island; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. From Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London] and Galpin

Discharging Guano-Wagons; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. Creator: Unknown
Discharging Guano-Wagons; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. From Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London] and Galpin

Workings and Guano deposit on the Chincha Islands; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. Creator: Unknown
Workings and Guano deposit on the Chincha Islands; About the Chincha Islands, 1875. From Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London] and Galpin

The Ship "Bengal" rescuing the crew of "The Child of the Regiment", 1858. Creator: Smyth
The Ship "Bengal" rescuing the crew of "The Child of the Regiment", 1858. Engraving from a sketch by Theodore Walter, chief officer of the Child of the Regiment

The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island, 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island, [Peru], 1850. Sketch by "a Traveller in Central America". In 1840 attention was first drawn to guano for the purposes of agriculture in Europe

Atlantic puffins on a rock at Vigur Island in Isafjordur Bay

DDE-90033534
Norway, Svalbard, Brunnich's Guillemot (Uria lomvia) reflected in calm sea while in flight along Hinlopen Strait on summer morning Date: 17/07/2007

Wooden Idol found in Peru, 33 feet under Guano (engraving)
3654642 Wooden Idol found in Peru, 33 feet under Guano (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Wooden Idol found in Peru, 33 feet under Guano)

Digging out Guano in the Chincha Uslands, Peru (engraving)
655303 Digging out Guano in the Chincha Uslands, Peru (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Digging out Guano in the Chincha Uslands, Peru)

The Chincha Islands (engraving)
1588176 The Chincha Islands (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Chincha Islands. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 21 February 1863)

The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Guano Pile on North Island (engraving)
1588175 The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Guano Pile on North Island (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Guano Pile on North Island

The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Peru (engraving)
1588177 The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Peru (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Chincha (Guano) Islands, Peru

Ichaboe Island, the Guano Trade (engraving)
1625121 Ichaboe Island, the Guano Trade (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ichaboe Island, the Guano Trade)

Ichaboe - mode of shipping the guano, 1844. Creator: Unknown
Ichaboe - mode of shipping the guano, 1844. Loading bird manure off the coast of south-west Africa. Account of Lieutenant Petrie: Up to the 24th of May, in this year alone

The Island of Ichaboe, 1844. Creator: Unknown
The Island of Ichaboe, 1844. It is...to its being the depository of guano, in almost incredible quantities, that Ichaboe owes its importance...The surface of this island is covered with birds manure

Guano island off the coast of Peru, 1880s
Sailors visiting a guano bed off the coast of Peru, 1880. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Peru Chincha Islands
The northernmost of the Chincha (guano) islands

Egyptian guano bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca, and red fruit bat, Sternoderma rufum (vulnerable).. Handcolored copperplate stipple engraving from Frederic Cuviers Dictionary of Natural Science: Mammals

The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island. 1850

The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island. 1850

Iceland, Latrabjarg, pair of kittiwakes on cliff ledge

Ambergris origin theory, 16th century
Ambergris origin theory. 16th-century artwork of a man (lower right) collecting the dung of the aschibobuch bird found in the Maldives and Madagascar

Ecuador. A Blue-footed Booby perches on a guano-covered volcanic rock on North Seymour Island in the Galapagos

USA, Alaska, Inside Passage. Pair of black-legged kittiwakes

CHINCHA ISLAND WAR, 1866. A Spanish navy squadron blockading the port of Valparaiso, Chile during the Guano War. Wood engraving, English, 1866

Statue of James Watt in George Square, Glasgow. Designed by sculptor Francis Leggatt Chantrey and erected in 1832

Chincha (Guano) Islands
A view of Middle Island, from North Island, one of the three Chincha Islands, otherwise known as the Guano Islands. Lying about ninety miles from Peru

Puffins on the Farne Islands Northumberland UK. These comical seabirds are reducing in numbers as global warming is
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Puffins on the Farne Islands Northumberland UK. These comical seabirds are reducing in numbers as global warming is
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Gannets on Bass Rock in Scotland
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Shipping Guano / Africa
Ichaboe island, Africa: shipping guano via a pulley system to awaiting boats

Digging out Guano / Peru
Guano mining operations: Chincha islands, Peru. The deposits of seabirds, named guano, were sought after as prized fertiliser in the nineteenth century

Peru / Guano / Wagons / C19Th
Peruvians on the Chincha islands, discharging guano wagons

Extracting Guano / Peru
Peruvians on the Chincha islands, work to extract guano deposits

Shipping Guano / Peru / 1857
Chincha islands, Peru: boats receiving guano

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Guano, a hidden treasure buried deep beneath the surface, holds secrets of ancient civilizations and fuels industries that shape nations. The DDE-90033534, a wooden idol discovered in Peru, was found 33 feet under layers of guano, revealing the intricate connection between history and this valuable resource. Engravings depicting the laborious process of digging out guano in the Chincha Islands of Peru showcase the arduous efforts undertaken to extract this precious substance. These islands themselves became synonymous with guano production as they were abundant sources for its accumulation. The towering piles on North Island in the Chincha Islands stand as testaments to both nature's bounty and human ingenuity. The trade surrounding these islands flourished during the 19th century when Ichaboe Island played a significant role in shipping guano across vast distances. An intriguing creature known as the Egyptian guano bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca, adds another layer to our understanding of this remarkable substance. Its existence highlights how even wildlife has adapted to thrive amidst these unique environments shaped by massive deposits of guano. As we delve into historical records from the late 1800s, an image emerges: an island off Peru's coast covered entirely in guano. This snapshot captures not only its abundance but also its economic significance during that era. Today, remnants of this once-thriving industry can still be seen on Peru's Chincha Islands. They serve as reminders of how something seemingly insignificant like bird droppings can have far-reaching impacts on economies and ecosystems alike. Intriguingly enough, beyond being just an invaluable resource or a catalyst for commerce, Guano represents resilience – both natural and human-made, and is a testament to mankind's ability to adapt and utilize what may seem inconsequential at first glance.