The tribes Caribisis of South America, Chorotegas, Nahuas, and other tribes populated the island during the pre-Columbian era. A large number of petroglyphs and stone idols distributed throughout the island attest to their indigenous experience.

Altagracia or Aztagalpa was the indigenous capital of Ometepe in pre-Columbian times, populated by the tribe of the Chibchas, descendants of the Chorotegas and Nagrandanos. Its church, in the center of the town, boasts some of the largest stone idols found in Ometepe. Other vestiges of the pre-Columbian past of the island are found in the archaeological museum, which also offers cultural and geological information.