SPANISH MINE CARVING, NEED HELP DOCUMENTING.

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

I WILL POST A CLOSE UP PIC OF THE CARVING AND ANOTHER OF THE BLUFF.
THEN AN EXPLAINATION.

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

THIS IS CARVED NEAR A HIDDEN MINE OPENING IN NORTH WEST ARKANSAS.
I RESEARCHED BOTH OF THESE S/S WHEN I FOUND THEM A FEW YEARS AGO
THE Z AT THE BOTTOM IS FOR ZINC. THE SIGMA TYPE S/S ABOVE AND TO THE
RIGHT OF IT I FOUND INFO STATING THAT IT WAS AN ALCHEMY SIGN TO HEAT
TILL WHITE HOT OR TILL IT MAKES WHITE SMOKE.
I CANNOT FIND THE OLD DOCUMENTATION AND I AM WRITING A BOOK ABOUT
THE ADVENTURE OF THE HUNT AND NEED TO FIND SOME RELIABLE DOCUMENT
FOR REFERENCE.
THE TWO S/S IN THE PIC ARE ABOUT 18 INCHES WIDE AND 24 INCHES TALL.
THAT PART OF MY FIELD NOTES WERE IN MY PARTNERS POSSESION WHEN HE
PASSED AWAY, AND I HAVE NO WAY TO RECOVER THEM.
ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THANKS
PROSPECTORMIKEL

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hi Mike, may I suggest that the spanish did not spell Zinc with a "Z" , but "C" -- cinc = zinc.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

THANKS FOR THE INPUT, DON JOSE DE LA MANCHA, DO YOU THINK THAT THESE SIGNS
ARE FROM ANOTHER ERA, PERHAPS FRENCH?
THE INFO THAT I FOUND ON THE "Z" CAME FROM THE "HANDBOOK OF TREASURE SIGNS
AND SYMBOLS" BY MARY LEE CARSON, ON PAGE 55 OF HER 1980 EDITION.
THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE AS TO WHERE THE CROSSLINE WAS. HER VERSION
SHOWED THE CROSSMARK THRU THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTER.
IF THE SPANISH DID NOT USE THIS SYMBOL, DO YOU KNOW WHO WOULD HAVE USED IT?
THERE ARE MANY SIGNS IN THIS AREA, SOME CARVED IN STONE ON BLUFFS AND ROCKS,
AND SOME WERE CARVED IN TREES. ONE TREE CARVING WAS A SNAKE CARVED IN A TREE
TWENTY FEET OR MORE IN THE AIR, AND THE TREE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST IN
THE AREA.
THE ONE THAT I NEED HELP ON WAS THE SIGMA SIGN AND NOW I MAY NEED HELP WITH THE
"Z" SYMBOL.
IS THERE ANY INFO TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN SPANISH HISTORY?
I HAVE BASED MUCH OF MY RESEARCH ON BOOKS ABOUT SPANISH HISTORY AND YOU
LOOK LIKE A GOOD PERSON TO ASK.
THANKS FOR THE INFO AND FOR ANY YOU MIGHT SHARE CONCERNING THESE S/S.

PROSPECTORMIKEL

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Morning Mike, move closer to the fire and enjoy with me. Kinda nice on these chilly mornings.

Yes, as far as I know, the French did use "Z" for zinc.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

DON JOSE,
THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE, I HAVEN'T STUDIED THE FRENCH HISTORY FOR THIS AREA
NOR DO I HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT FRENCH S/S. I COULD KICK MYSELF FOR LOOSING
SO MUCH OF MY RESEARCH WHEN MY PARTNER DIED. LIKE I SAID I THINK HE HAD THAT PART
OF THE INFO WHEN HE PASSED, AND HIS WIFE DIDN'T SUPPORT HIM SPENDING SO MUCH
TIME WITH ME ON THIS PROJECT. SHE WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT IT WHEN SHE SENT HER SON TO COLLECT HIS STUFF AFTER HIS FUNERAL. IF I HAD IT, I LOST IT AFTER SUFFERING
A HEAT STROKE IN 2009. I LOST PARTS OF MY MEMORY AND EVENTUALLY LOST THE STRENGTH TO WALK UP THAT MOUNTAIN FOR BETTER PHOTOS. THE PHOTO OF THE BLUFF
WAS ON FILM. AFTER THAT SET OF PICS I BOUGHT A DIGITAL CAMERA. MOST OF MY OTHER PICS ARE MUCH CLEARER.
I WILL TRY TO ATTACH A PHOTO OF THE SIGN THAT STARTED US OUT ON THS PROJECT.
MAYBE YOU WILL KNOW IF IT IS FRENCH OR SOMTHING ELSE. IT MAY TAKE ME A FEW SHOTS
TO GET IT RIGHT.

PROSPECTORMIKEL

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

DON JOSE,
OR ANY ONE THAT CAN SAY WHETHER THE ABOVE PIC IS THE WORK OF FRENCH EARLY
SPANISH JESUIT, OR ANY OTHER. IF YOU HAVE NAMES OF BOOKS OR REFERENCE MATERIAL,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE BOOK SO IF IT IS FROM ANOTHER
PEOPLES OR CULTURES I HAVE A LOT OF REWRITING TO DO.

THANKS IN ADVANCE
PROSPECTORMIKEL

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Sorry Mike, no help so far. Still looking at the picture for natures faulting lines or cracks.. Do you have another that isn't marked?


Incidentally I like your excuse for not getting out there and working yer butt off, but it doesn't hack it, soo move it !!

Don Jose d eLa mancha

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

DON JOSE,
THERE IS THE SAME PHOTO AS THE ONE ABOVE IN "WHAT IS IT" SECTION BUT, WITHOUT
THE RED OUTLINE. YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHAT IS OUTLINED
IS CARVED VERY CLEARLY WITH ROUNDED BOTTOM. THE WHITE TO LIGHT GREEN AREAS ARE
A TYPE OF MOSS THAT IS FOUND EVERYWHERE IN THIS REGION.
I AM TRYING TO CROP OUT ENOUGH OF THE BIG PICTURE TO MAKE IT EASY TO SEE.
AND I ASSURE YOU, I WOULD LOVE TO BE OUT THERE AGAIN.... MORE THAN TONGUE CAN TELL.

[Daedalus]

Mike there are Spanish and French Mines running from Arkansas up through Missouri , I saw them when I was a kid and use to go to them with my grandfather . The mines where marked on what ore they found or mined . Well some of them have the carved marks left that can be seen .
There are stories handed down in the area of Silver and Gold taken from areas running up the Ozark mountain range , but most of the ore taken out is lead .
I would have to get with my family and see who is left around that knows the old stories of the mines and who worked them . It is kinda like the old days of the stories being handed down . I do not know if anyone had anything written down but that does not mean that no one did .

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

DAEDALUS,

THANKS FOR THE POST. I STARTED LOOKING FOR FRENCH INFO EARLY ON, BUT MY PARTNER
WAS SURE WE WERE LOOKING AT SPANISH S/S THAT IT WASN'T WORTH DIGGING THAT HARD.
IT IS FROM WHERE I LOOKED AT THAT TIME, JUST NOT LIKELY OR WORTH IT. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THAT LITTLE VOICE. AS SOON AS DON JOSE POSTED THE NOTE ABOUT "Z" NOT MEANING ZINC TO THE SPANISH, I KNEW I WAS IN FOR A BUMPY RIDE.
UNTIL NOW I HAVE BEEN ON MY OWN TO FIGURE OUT MOST OF THE S/S THAT WE FOUND.
EXPERIENCE IS A CRUEL TEACHER... TEST FIRST.... THEN THE LESSON!

I HAVE MORE PHOTOS TO POST BUT CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP ENOUGH TO TAKE TIME TO DOWN LOAD THE RIGHT PHOTO EDIT PROGRAM.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR INPUT AND GLAD TO HAVE MADE YOUR AQUAINTANCE.

THANKS
PROSPECTORMIKEL

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

OK, I THINK I HAVE THE PIC DOWNSIZED NOW.
IF THIS WOKS LOOK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PIC FOR THE SIGMA AND Z.
THERE ARE OTHER MARKINGS ON THE BLUFF THAT HAVE NOT BEEN STUDIED YET.
MAN ... I HOPE THIS WORKS!

PROSPECTORMIKEL

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

THE NEW BLUFF PHOTO IS MUCH EASIER TO ID THE S/S, PLUS THERE ARE S/S THAT HAVE NOT
BEEN DISCUSSED YET. LIKE THE NUMBER "5" OR MAYBE IT'S A 3, NEAR THE SIGMA AND SOME RIGHT ANGLE SIGNS CARVED NEAR THE CENTER. (THESE ARE A TOTAL MYSTERY TO ME.) DIFFERENT SIZES AND DIRECTIONS.
THERE IS ALSO A SPACE ABOVE THIS PANEL, WITH ENOUGH ROOM TO CRAWL AROUND, BUT NOT ENOUGH HEAD ROOM TO SIT UP.

AND ALSO INSIDE THAT AREA THERE ARE THREE STACKS OF ROCKS. EACH STACK HAS A MEDIUM SIZE SQUARE STONE ( ABOUT 8"X8" BY 4"THICK). WITH A SMALLER SQUARE
STONE (ABOUT 6"X6" BY 4" THICK). THEY ARE ARRANGED IN A TRI-ANGLE SEVERAL FEET APART. I DIDN'T HAVE A TAPE MEASURE SO I AM GUESSING WITH A BAD MEMORY, BUT I KNOW THEY ARE RESONABLY CLOSE TO THOSE MEASUREMENTS.

JUST MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

PROSPECTORMIKEL

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

I HAVE UPDATED SOME OF THE PHOTOS AND AM ADDING MORE AS TIME ALLOWS.
THIS ONE IS ON A HILL ACROSS THE VALLEY AND DOESN'T LINE UP WITH MUCH OF ANYTHING
THE CARVING IS DEEP AND WEATHERED. THERE ARE TWO HORIZONTAL LINES CROSSING A SINGLE VERTICAL LINE FORMING A CROSS. THE ROCK IS STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND VERTICALLY WITH THE CARVING CROSSING THE TOP.

[Oroblanco]

ProspectorMikel, if you are looking for documentation may I suggest the Jesuit Relations, which are online.
http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/relations/

I suspect that the Jesuit you will be looking for is Father Gravier, and the lead mines he discovered but silver mines were also involved which is natural to be found with lead. The French records of exploration are partly online too, good hunting and congratulations on your discovery!
Oroblanco

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

OROBLANCO,
THANKS FOR THE LINK. I HAVE GLANCED THRU IT, AND THERE IS MUCH TO READ AND DO.
THIS HUNT FOR DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN SLOW AND DIFFICULT. I BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP GREATLY.
I HOPE TO HAVE MUCH TO POST SOON.

THANK YOU.
PROSPECTORMIKEL

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

OROBLANCO,
I HAVE SAT AND READ FOR FOUR AN A HALF HOURS. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I AM READING HISTORY AS IT IS BEING MADE. IT AMAZES ME THAT NOTHING OF WHAT I HAVE READ TODAY IS IN ANY OF THE HISTORY BOOKS FROM SCHOOL. THIS IS SUCH A PRECIOUS RESOURCE.

I KNOW I WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND IT WITHOUT GUIDANCE.
I THANK YOU AGAIN.
EVEN IF I DO NOT FIND DOCUMENTATION FOR MY MINE, I WILL STILL ENJOY READING THIS.

MAY YOU BE BLESSED.
PROSPECTORMIKEL

[Oroblanco]

Hola amigo ProspectorMikeL,
Thank you for the very kind words, there is much more online if you have the time to research it all. I look forward to reading more on your discoveries!
Oroblanco

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

ORO!.... I HAVE LOOKED FOR THIS POST FROM YOU SINCE MID MAY WHEN YOU SENT IT TO ME.

MY COMPUTER LOCKED UP ON ME AND I FIDDLED WITH IT TILL I WAS READY TO THROW IT THRU A WINDOW. I KNEW YOU HAD SAID SOMETHIN' NICE, AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I THINK I NEED A TREASURE MAP TO COVER ALL THE THREADS I AM RUNNING ON.
YOU HAVE BEEN A GOOD MENTOR, AND STARTED ME BACK UP WHEN I WAS LOST AND DOWN.

SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

MIKEL

[Oroblanco]

Thank you for the kind words amigo, and thanks for sharing your discoveries! I am looking forward to seeing pictures of you with stacks of silver bars soon!
Roy ~ Oroblanco