Skull?

[dgerst]

Wondering if anyone might know about something like this. I found it on the caprock of a 60-80 ft tall gypsum mound. It's not far from an old military trail. The folks who've run the ranch that it's on had no idea it was there and their family has run it for 80 years. It's in a very remote location but near a river.I'm guessing from the weathering it's pretty old but don't know much more than that. Thanks!

 

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[lairmo]

It's cool! How big is it? Not too far from you..would like to see it. Quantrill trail?

 

[Oddjob]

That is really cool.

 

[Rookster]

Very interesting.

 

[maccounty]

Neat find, interesting.

 

[dgerst]

It's not quite life size. About as big as a 5-6 year old child's head. It's on a privately owned ranch.

 

[Hawks88]

Weird, never seen anything like it.

 

[Secret squirl]

Would probably get a better answer if you could show more of the mound or monument its on. if it is a marker, it will most likely not be the only image. Just be cautious, and if need be, block out anything that could give your location away.
Good luck.

 

[dgerst]

It's a natural mound. The caprock is natural as well. It looks like this.

 

[Toecutter]

awesome find!

 

[Quinoa]

Near a crypt.

 

[dgerst]

Near a crypt.

I was wondering if it could be Spanish. Before 1870 about the only non-natives around here would have been Spanish or U.S. military. There have been Spanish artifacts found within 40 miles of this site.

 

[Butler]

It... It's looking at me with a crooked smile! No telling how old, but it is a very cool find! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Quinoa]

The natural mound would represent the primordial mound, so it wouldn't be a spanish crypt. But the skull could have been made by the Spanish. All those type mounds and peaks are "off limits" you will find.

 

[Gare]

Am i missing something here ? I did not see any thing that looks like a skull. Was the picture of it removed ?

 

[Quinoa]

Yes, it was in the first post.

 

[dgerst]

I removed it from where it was previously stored. Here it is. Click on it twice to see it in full resolution. You can get an idea of how weathered the carving is compared to the surrounding rock.

 

[sdcfia]

I removed it from where it was previously stored. Here it is. Click on it twice to see it in full resolution. You can get an idea of how weathered the carving is compared to the surrounding rock.
View attachment 1667234

I don't see the carving as being particularly weathered or old. When you zoom in there are fairly sharp edges around the eye sockets and nose, for example, which are areas that will erode fairly quickly with time and weather. I could be wrong, but isn't gypsum a relatively soft material?

Look at the eroded rounding of the carved edges on the face below - carved in rock. This is old - how old I don't know, but at least a couple hundred years I'd guess. Compare with the graffiti carved in 1974 in the same vicinity.

 

[Carl-NC]

"The folks who've run the ranch that it's on had no idea it was there and their family has run it for 80 years."

That strongly suggests it hasn't been there long. Yes, gypsum is pretty soft, easy to carve, fast to erode. Looks like it could have been done last week.

 

[dgerst]

"The folks who've run the ranch that it's on had no idea it was there and their family has run it for 80 years."

That strongly suggests it hasn't been there long. Yes, gypsum is pretty soft, easy to carve, fast to erode. Looks like it could have been done last week.

That's possible but the ranch has been pretty much off-limits to anyone but the family since the 40's. And it's in such a remote place that even they were rarely in that area. I suppose someone could have snuck in but the only way in goes right by the headquarters and and then it's four miles of rough two-track, river crossings, and off road. I guess I'll look for anything else the next i time I go.