Strange Marker?

[WoodyGA]

While tracking some tree signs believed to be Cherokee I stumbled across what might be a marker of some kind. I am curious if anyone has any ideas what it is or what it might be telling me?

What I found from a distance looked like a headstone or grave marker. A slab of rock about 2 feet tall and 18 inches wide is set into the ground with other rocks supporting it. It is very stable so it appears it was set at below ground level and then the other rocks were added. There are no carvings or marks in the rock that I can find. Rock is rounded at top similar to headstone. No depression near it indicating old grave site. Not sure if connected or not but to the West of the stone is an old oak tree with three horizontal slashes cut into it at about the height of the stone.

Any help appreciated, hope to post a photo soon if I can. Note that this marker is out in the woods in a mining area, not close to housing new or old, so of course I am intrigued a bit

Update: snapped a couple quick photos. One is the marker and one is of tree 6 feet west with slash marks at marker height on side facing marker. Looking closer at the rock there is a raised portion (could be natural) that is rectangular.

[Fred]

I seem to recall that boundry markers looked like that but as I am not from your area I could be way off. Fred

[Ecominer]

You may be right about Cherokee, but it appears to me to be Spanish. The boulder picture you will notice has a large crack that looks like the number seven with the long leg pointing to the right.

You have a little rock in front with a point going to the right and one pointing at the person taking the picture. Both points line up with the legs of the seven.

If the tree is in front of one of these points that is probably the way to go. If you filter the picture of the tree with photo software you will notice at the top of your marks what could possibly be a circle with a check mark in it. Below it is possibly a letter A. The detail is really difficult to look at. Your three slashes could mean come this way and continue on up and over.

Now you have to remember that many times these are reverse signs. If one direction doesn't work out go the other way. Remember a point always points to something or away from something.

[dwight traina]

IF YOU HAVE A 7.5 TOPO IT MIGHT SHOW WHAT IT IS IF YOU HAVE A DEEP SEEK DETECTOR RUN IT AROUND THE STONE STEP OFF 30 PACES FROM THE TREE AND RUN IT TO

[BILL 1876]

I think you might want to contact Hillbilly Bob about these. They description of the symbols sounds similar to KGC. You might want to chalk the symbols/markings so they are more visible; the photos are still too difficult to make out what is there with any accuracy. The 3 slashes, the 7, the stone marker all sound like the came right out of Bob’s book .

[WoodyGA]

The tree is of the rough bark variety which makes it very hard even with chalking to make out what is really there. As with other signs the more you look at them the more you can read into them

This and all of the other signs I have posted are in a gold mining area that has seen Spanish, Cherokee, Chinese, and American miners all successful throughout it's history and there is still gold here for sure.

One tip for anyone trying to figure out Cherokee tree signs, it has been my experience that if a sign does not seem to match anything known or common it is often a map of local topography

I had hoped to get Hillbillys attention but he must be off on a project somewhere ....

[bhelk]

you have described a survey line and a section corner or 1/4 section corner exactly............from a surveyor in SD. The vertical rock should have some hash marks on one edge.........it tells you how far you are, in miles, from a township corner.

Virgil