Basic signs and symbols you have found

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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Here is another Death trap that is very much alive,
I can see it working but neither one of us can locate the actual trigger.
It may be a dummy ...
But we aren't counting our chickens either.
This one is very cleverly constructed. and will require a lot of thought.
it may require total dismantle just to make me feel good about it.
From the front, the side and the back.
That piece of cardboard is "ground zero".
 

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Cynangyl

Gold Member
Apr 12, 2007
11,346
78
God's lap
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X-terra 70
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

total dismantle sounds like a very good plan to me...that thing is huge!
 

VICTORIO

Sr. Member
Jun 8, 2005
287
24
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Pulse Star II & Whites TM808
Primary Interest:
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Old Dog, Did the Spaniards set Death Traps where there is Treasure. Or should I say if you have a death trap, You should also have a Treasure. Did they ever set Death Traps as a Decoy say as to Fool people there is a Treasure when there Isn't. I know they would go to allot of Trouble to Construct these things.
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

I can honestly say that I have never seen a death trap where they hid nothing.
I have seen many false trails that would lead you all over the country side to get you as far away from their cache as possible.

The reason I think this one may be a dummy is that my theory on this site is that they were in a big hurry,
They may not have had enough time to do more than just make it look good.
There is a effort to get the signs done and they are not as neat as usual some critical signs that are usually concealed are in plain sight and some of the signs usually seen at the end of a trail are missing, only one sign was really concealed well. Took a long time to find, but after finding it I was almost embarrassed to find I had been almost parking my truck on top of the death trap. Another 10 feet....

Some times when you are on top of a stash, the death trap only becomes evident after a bit of study,
they hide them. They will look as natural as the surrounding country.
If in a tunnel they will look as naturally part of the tunnel you may walk right past them. Or into them.
This is why I always advise going slow, study for signs, they always told if there was a trap. usually where it was as well. There is always a warning, HEED THE WARNINGS.

Thom
 

hagerman

Jr. Member
Mar 17, 2008
38
0
Oregon
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

thanks for those last pictures. did you find these from following trails or did you just come across them?
I would love to see one of these up close. its hard to see everthing going on with these traps from pictures.
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

I have never just stumbled on one.
They were all found by following a trail to completion.
The last one is the end of a year long search.
That was only completed because of my partner's ability to think outside the box.
This is another I will wait to recover until we can do it together.

Thom
 

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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
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Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

I think this thread has been successful in it's intent.
My thanks to all who contributed.
You have helped to make an interesting and useful thread, out of what very easily could have turned into a rant.

I set out to at least show a basic Spanish sign so an uneducated person could see what was out there.
and give just a little for everyone to look out for. and a few of the reasons why it is important not to move or take markers.

If you have no intention of following the signs at least to have some empathy with those of us who do and leave the trails for those who will follow them.
Doing this is as much fun for us as for those of you who do the metal detecting and just as addicting. LOL

if you are inspired by this post to look farther...
look very close and take lots of photos, sometimes a picture will show you things you missed while doing the footwork.
Most Important keep your eyes open for anomalies. and remember...

The Spanish were people like you and I, and they dropped things, just the same way.
I found this while following a trail that was at least two hundred years old.

Good luck, stay safe. and have fun.
Thank God for the chance to get out.

Thom
 

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Cynangyl

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Apr 12, 2007
11,346
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

very sucessful indeed! Lovely lil find you got there too!! Thanks again for your generosity in sharing your knowledge with us!
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Thanks Cyndi,

If you or anyone finds a sign or symbol you can't understand,
send it to me and I will be glad to help with it.
If I don't know what it means I will certainly be happy to try to find out.

I only wish everyone luck in their hunt and to remember ...
A bad day on a Spanish trail, is a lot better than a good day at work.

Thom
 

Cynangyl

Gold Member
Apr 12, 2007
11,346
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God's lap
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X-terra 70
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Well I suppose I have to find me a spanish trail to get on so I can find out if you are right about it being better than a good day at work but I do believe I will agree with ya! lol
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

I hope you have a great time looking.

and a better time seeing the place where you live.
If you get to a place where you start running into the animals in your forrays...
enjoy the company.

Most of all, stay safe my friend.

Thom
 

stevesno

Hero Member
Feb 27, 2006
714
74
Deep in the Ozark Mountains
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ3D, Whites TM 808, Sharptronics DSP-03
Primary Interest:
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Thom.....This thread is the one I first looked up when signing on T-net.....I found it fascinating.....May you have great success in your ongoing and future quests....Steve
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Thank you Steve,

I hope this thread is a source of information and interest for some time to come on T-Net.
I would hope that others will post still a sign or two in the future and not worry about losing their site as a result.
None of the information I posted gives away a location, but it will help educate others to the fact of a Spanish Presence that goes in many cases beyond the actual borders of New Spain... Even into Canada.
This isn't just supposed by me.
I have seen signs from the Alberta and Manitoba areas that suggest an origin of Spanish.
If they were that far away, the signs could be anywhere in the US.

I am always willing to help answer a question if asked,
or help find the answer.

Thom
 

boogeyman

Gold Member
Jun 6, 2006
5,016
4,399
Out in the hills near wherendaheckarwe
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WHITES, MINELAB, Garrett
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Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Thom,

You should really think about putting a book together! I've been kind of lurking on this thread, and have to say I've gotten more from your posts here than my handful of books. Very interesting indeed, great photography. Thanks!
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

Mary,

What so few people realise is that the Spanish were in this country for 300 years and longer.
They remind me of ants the way they dug and colonised not just the west but all parts of New Spain.

Sometimes a name will be a huge clue as to where to look for what the Spanish left.
A "Treasure Canyon" would be a SUPER place to start!

read up on as much of your local Spanish history as you can get your hands on and most of all...
Get all the boots on the ground experience you can.
Even if the Spanish don't come through for you you will get to see God's wonders,
either way a win-win situation.

Please understand I am still going to post a sign or two from time to time and am looking for one in particular that is of importance to all hunters. It isn't in a book.
I haven't quit this thread.

Thom
 

emtrescue

Full Member
Dec 26, 2007
186
7
Church Hill, TN
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

O.D. I want to also thank you (and others) in a big way for starting and contributing your knowledge on this thread. I think I can speak for a majority of us and say that we learned quite a bit. I know I have. The last pics look awesome, especially with the broken heart right in the middle. Which makes me wonder this on your trigger - there appears to be a rock on the Right side of the heart. (as you look at it) It looks like that rock holds the right vertical rock - so if you was to dig at the broken heart, it would cause a shift making the top rock fall down on top of you where the broken heart is. Just judging by pictures. When you figure it out, let us know please. I love the construction and physics aspect of it.
 

OP
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Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

The way I was able to picture this does not show the whole potential, and the thought that went into this construction.

The whole principal is that the large stone is perched on the top, balanced by the cliff face, the stone on the right and a stone of equal size in back, creating the hole you see.
The hole is filled with very fine sand as if sifted which I have never seen get wet. This is a critical observation, if the sand did get wet the trap wouldn't work.

as you dig your hole the sand will begin to trickle slowly into the hole reducing the support for the stone in back. as your hole progresses the stone in back fails and falls into the hole the top stone tilts back pushing the right hand stone in on top of the hole and covers the whole situation once again with the top stone.

this is how we picture the whole scenario, and this is only after many hours of study.

I am wondering what the value of a small water truck would be.
Just to keep the soil wet enough to keep it from sifting and how long I would have to wait before starting the dig again........ HMMMMMMM

Thom
 

Cynangyl

Gold Member
Apr 12, 2007
11,346
78
God's lap
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X-terra 70
ACE 250
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

hmmm sounds reasonable...if the sand was wet it would not trickle out, therefore the stones would not lose their support but how do you propose to remove the stones? Is it in an area where you can get equipment in?
 

OP
OP
Old Dog

Old Dog

Gold Member
May 22, 2007
5,860
397
Western Colorado
Re: Basic Spanish signs and symbols you have found

In answer to a PM,

No, the cliff face is stable.
To the point that we have been parking the trucks on top of it with no shift over the last couple years.
The faults and cracks involved are not a part of this trap, I don't think the cliff itself poses any threat.

Thom
 

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