A "Simple" Outlaw Symbol Interpreted

When it comes to interpreting symbols it can be a pretty daunting task sometimes but every once in a while you come across that one symbol that is simple. So simple in fact, that you think it can’t really be that simple so you try twenty other things first. Then, after you stop kicking yourself in the butt for wasting so much time and messing with your own mind, you actually try the simple interpretation and bingo, there you have it.

The outlaw symbol in the photo posted with this article was one such symbol. The rock is about two feet long and a foot wide and was found at the edge of a ridgeline about half way up the side of a hill. The rock was wedged between two others, laying face up so you could see the carving but the other two stones kept it from going anywhere. If you were standing at the location of the stone and took two steps forward you would have stepped off the side of the hill and on your way through a twenty foot drop.

If instead, you stood at the rock and turned to the left you would see that the ridgeline you were standing next to was the exact shape of the J. It went straight along the side of the hill for about 50 feet and then curved to the left and wrapped around the hill. The dot on this carving represented the location of the next clue. I might also add that the rock the J was carved on is shaped like the hill the rock sits on and was orientated to match the hill. The next clue, another rock buried upright in the ground to be used as a pointer, was found just after the curve of the ridgeline started and about half way between the ridgeline and the base of the hill. Once you knew where to look the next clue was pretty obvious, it was the only rock sticking out of the ground like it had been “planted”.

Of course the next clue took you back towards where you originally started from which was near the base of the hill below the ridgeline where the rock with the J and the dot on it was. There’s nothing like having an outlaw run you around in circles!

Finding Your Own Treasure Leads

Finding leads to buried, hidden or sunken treasure can be as simple as reading this blog or buying a book or two. Finding really good leads to a lost treasure usually takes more time and diligence. Not that the leads on this wonderful blog aren’t good leads, it’s just that we haven’t done all of the research and gotten all of the answers. If we did that with every lead you would be reading more about treasures that have been found instead of treasures you can look for.

I don’t do much searching for treasure underwater so I will skip telling you about how to get leads for those treasures. I will mention that studying information about some sunken treasures will give you some insight into some land based treasures. There’s nothing like a good pirate story to get your mind going. Arggggg!

Most caches of treasure won’t be written about in a way that mentions treasure. If you want to look for the small and maybe medium sized caches you should spend some time in your local library or historical society reading over the old newspapers, especially those before 1935. Once you start reading you can look for the articles about robberies. These articles can give you the where and when and sometimes even the who, not to mention an amount of what you might be looking for. You should look for articles about miners or prospectors if you live in or near an old mining area. Articles about the natural or even untimely deaths of prospectors and miners can give you leads about where a cache of gold may be. If a successful prospector or miner died and didn’t have any relatives there could be a good chance that whatever gold he had was left in the ground near his claim. Even if they did have relatives there is a good chance the miner/prospector hid what he had without telling the relatives where it was hidden. The newspaper article will give you a name and a search through the old claim files would give you an exact location.

If you aren’t lucky enough to live in or near a mining area you can look for articles about successful ranchers or store owners that may have died unexpectedly and didn’t have any family around. Maybe you will find a story about the local hermit that was found expired at his homestead. Hermits are notorious for not trusting banks or people for that matter and the local hermit may have stashed some money around his homestead. Another thing you can search for is the old stage stops or even the old creek or river crossings along the stage route. These were great places for someone to accidentally drop something or even intentionally hide something they didn’t want to lose. Remember, it doesn’t take much gold or silver these days to make something worth finding.

If you like to hunt for more “recent” caches you should concentrate on the newspapers from 1933 to 1950. Why these years you ask? For those of you that don’t know your history to well the private ownership of gold in the United States was banned on 5 April 1933 and all citizens were required to turn in their gold to dear old Uncle Sam. You just got to love Uncle Sam! This ban on the private ownership of gold only allowed citizens to own $100 or less of gold except for rare coins with special collectors value. The ban stayed in effect until 1974 when we were “given back” our right to have gold.

I am sure, actually, I would bet big money on it, that there were a lot of people that buried or hid what gold they had just to keep from having to give it to the government. I know I would have. This brings us back to the old newspapers and looking for those stories of the hermits and reading the obituaries. Most of these stories will probably never mention anything about hidden money or treasure but they will probably tell about the “condition” of the person who died. Whether they had money or heirs, whether they were frugal or were known to spend a lot of money and even where they lived or what type of home they lived in. All of this information can be tremendous in looking for a previously unknown treasure.

When doing this type of research you have to learn to read between the lines and follow up any story you find with some additional research at the county courthouse in the county that the story took place in. Land ownership records should go back to the time when the county was formed. You may even be able to find old town plats that show you were a business or home was. These will be especially useful if you are looking in the area of an old ghost town.

I will say that I have worked on a treasure like this before, one that was put down in the 30's and it turned out the landowner hid his treasure and then marked it just like an outlaw would. This made me think he was probably an outlaw himself in earlier times because the map was pretty elaborate and didn’t appear to be the first one he ever made. I would also guess that the gold that was hidden was something he probably had gotten from a robbery or two.

This is just a couple of ways to find your own treasure leads. Remember, if it were easy everybody would be doing it! Remember to think outside of the box when it comes to research.

Buried treasure is everywhere; you just have to know how and where to look for it.

2nd Annual Treasure Hunters Get Together

I would like to start this article off by thanking 2late2dig and his lovely wife for hosting all of us treasure hunters in their neck of the woods. As usual, they took very good care of everyone, even going to the extreme of renting out a large, air conditioned lodge to hold the meeting in. I know this was greatly appreciated by others and myself since it was 90 degrees outside and felt even worse due to the ever present, almost stifling Oklahoma humidity. There were several door prizes on hand including some very good books and even an 1889 silver dollar.

For those of you that couldn’t make it, you missed a good meeting. We had 18 people at this one including a couple of those KGC guys. Oh lighten up, it’s a joke! These were a couple of nice guys with a good sense of humor. They gave as good as they got and all had a good time. One of their group couldn't make it this time because of health reasons and he was missed. Hopefully next time everyone can be there.

There was lots of information shared and learned by everybody. It seemed everyone had something to share and didn’t mind sharing it. Just the way a get together should be. 2Late had an actual clean copy of the copper map that was found in the teakettle by Joe Hunter back in the 30’s. There is a really big difference between the actual map and the published version so this was a treat for more than one treasure hunter. There were several photos of a few different treasure sites showing carvings and markers (outlaw and Spanish), an original Jesse James map and Ray was very gracious to bring the actual watch that was in the teakettle with the copper map and other items when Joe Hunter found it. This is a true piece of history and a once in a lifetime thing to see and handle this watch. History buffs and treasure hunters alike should get goose bumps holding something that was actually put in the ground for safe keeping by Frank and Jesse James. The watch is in pristine shape. Thank you Ray!

If you came to this meeting hungry you undoubtedly left full. The lunch at the Plantation Restaurant in Medicine Park was a good meal with the portions big enough to feed the hungriest appetite!

If a prize was going to be given for the most miles traveled to attend the get together then it would have gone to “Mr. Hawaii”. Yea, I didn’t believe it at first either but he actually came all the way from Honolulu to be at the meeting. Of course he was going to spend a few days at a treasure site he has in Oklahoma too. A really nice treasure site I might add! Mr. Hawaii and his partner were kind enough to share several photos from their site with any one that was interested. I don’t want to say where this site is but if you are familiar with Oklahoma treasure stories this would make your mouth water. I would like to personally thank Mr. Hawaii for his input on one of my treasure sites, the information was something I never thought of and will be put to use the next time I’m on the site. I would have also taken your flight back to Hawaii for you if you wanted to stay in Oklahoma a little longer! It wouldn't have been a problem, really!

As I mentioned earlier there were several door prizes given away. One of these prizes was an 1889 silver dollar. Before lunch Mr. Hawaii had told one of the female attendees that if he won the silver dollar he would give it to her. When the drawing was held after lunch he actually won the silver dollar and true to his word, he immediately gave it to the woman he had promised it to. Now that’s a man you want to treasure hunt with!

Thanks to all who attended and thanks again to 2late and his wife for hosting the get together and supplying all of the drinks and prizes.

I intentionally didn’t use very many real names in this article because I wasn’t sure who would or wouldn’t want their name published on the blog. You know how us treasure hunters are! I have posted a few photos though of some of the folks who attended. All of the books on the table were door prizes that were given away. Hopefully everyone will make it back to the next meeting and enjoy themselves and learn.

See you next year if not before.

Frustrated and Disillusioned? It's Normal

Let’s face it; we have all been there. We get frustrated because we are stuck and can’t figure out a sign and are about ready to bury the metal detector and head for the air conditioning. It happens to everybody, even the best of the professional treasure hunters experience it. They just don’t admit it as much as we do.

Now, what do you do about it? The first thing is to take a deep breath and relax. There’s no reason to have a stroke about it. The second thing is to remember you are dealing with interpretations of symbols and clues that are 100 years old or more. This should bring everything back into perspective a little. To paraphrase an old Zen saying, “to find what you are looking for you must stop looking for it”. In a way this is partially correct.

Once you’re finished with the Zen stuff the next thing to do is take a break from the site (hence the Zen phrase). If you have another site you are working on then go spend some time on it and ignore the one where you are stuck. If you don’t have another site then do some research and find another site. Something else to do is dig out an old treasure map or find one on the internet or in a book and try to decipher the symbols on the map. Basically, you are still treasure hunting but you are letting you mind get away from what it was stuck on. After a week or two or even a month or two go back to the site where you were stuck and see what happens. Remember, if that treasure has been there for 100 or even 400 years, it’s probably still going to be there in a couple of months.

I have found that working on another site gives my mind a change of things to think about which changes the way I think. I routinely switch back and forth between outlaw sites and Spanish sites. These two types of sites for the most part work differently than each other so my mind has to switch gears and think differently at each type of site. When I go back to the old site and switch gears again I usually get a fresh or different perspective on what I was looking at before and for the most part I am able to figure out what I was stuck on and move on along the trail.

If you have another treasure hunter you know and trust you could run some things by them or even ask a question on one of the forums. You don’t have to be specific about where you are looking when you post on a forum and you are probably going to get more “answers” than you know what to do with. However, out of all of those answers you may just get some information that fits your site and helps you out.

“It’s not what you look at, but what you see”

Treasure Hunter Get Together

Do to the hot weather, scheduling conflicts, and a host of other reasons, this years treasure hunter get together will be held Saturday June 21st at 11:00 am at the Wichita Mountain Lodge clubhouse in Medicine Park Oklahoma. I have reseved tables for a noon lunch at the Old Plantaion in downtown Medicine Park.I believe the Old Plantaion is where the original Golden Circle Research team was formed.

For those who want to arrive early I have a friend who is a blacksmith in Medicine Park and he should have his forge fired up for folks to watch an artist at work.

We will meet at the clubhouse at 11:00 and visit for a bit and a little before noon head into town. After lunch we will meet back at the lodge clubhouse for some show and tell and lie swapping.

The Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is just a short drive away. You can drive up Mt. Scott for a great view of the surrounding area which includes a windmill farm. There are bison and longhorn cattle herds, deer, elk, and other wildlife as well. The refuge has a wonderful visitors center that is open till 6:00 pm.

There is going to be a great bunch of folks at the get together. There will be an authentic treasure map, the watch found by Joe Hunter should be there, as well as other interesting items. If you have something you want to show off bring it as well.

This is open to all treasure hunters and their families. If everyone can give me an idea of how many will be in their group I'll make sure I have reseved enough tables for lunch. There are several other places to eat as well.

There is a jacuzzi suite in the lodge rental and if anyone is interested in staying saturday night your welcome to chip in for the rental and stay. It is very nice. You can view the lodge information at www.wichitamountainlodge.com They may have another cabin for rent as well. If you want to stay in a cobblestone cabin you can look up Medicine Park lodging on the internet for a host of little cabins in the area. Lawton offers a number of hotels and a few casinos for those who like to gambel.

Lake Lawtonka and Medicine Creek offer swimming areas. There is a fee for swimming in Medicine Creek. I think it is $2.00 per person. It is real easy to make a day of it in this area. With gas prices like they are you might as well enjoy all you can while here.

If you like to camp e-mail me and I can hook you up with some neat camping at Doris Campground on the refuge.

To get to the lodge just exit off at the Medicine Park exit on Hwy 44 just north of Lawton. Go about 5 miles towards Medicine park. Take a right on East Lake Drive and go another 3/4 miles further and the clubhouse is on the right. I'll try and attach a map. Hope to see you there.

Friday the 13th

Have you ever wondered about the origin of Friday the 13th?

No, not the stupid movie, the superstition! Would you have thought that Friday the 13th could have a connection to hidden treasure and even the Holy Grail? (What ever you think the Holy Grail might be)

According to history, the superstition that is Friday the 13th began in 1307 thanks to the Pope and King Phillip IV. This was the day that the church and the king decided to arrest all of the Knights Templar, also known as the Knights of the Temple of Solomon or the Red Cross Knights. This happened in France and eventually a lot of the Knights that were caught were tortured and killed. It happened on Friday, October 13th 1307 and ever since then Friday the 13th has been considered to be an unlucky day. I’m sure that if you were a Templar back in 1307 you would have agreed with this sentiment.

Not that I’m one to condone torture and theft but, thanks to the Pope and the King in 1307 we now have the multitude of legends surrounding the Knights Templar and their hidden treasures. These treasures are said to include the Holy Grail, vast amounts of wealth and religious artifacts along with lost knowledge of the world. Most of that lost knowledge has been relearned over the centuries but having the original source would be nice. The Templars had their own fleet, most of which disappeared from France at the same time that the arrests started.

Besides the “normal” treasures, the Templars are also said to be connected to the famous treasure thought to be located on Oak Island in Nova Scotia. This has come to be better known as “The Money Pit”. It has been said, and there has been some pretty good evidence found, that the Templars were here in the United States, especially on the east coast gathering precious metals and hiding treasures. They may have worked their way well into the interior of the country depending on which hypothesis you choose to believe, if any.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia, (try saying that three times real fast) or the fear of Friday the 13th, is common enough that many people will skip work, refuse to travel or not start anything new on that day. It’s also why some buildings have no 13th floor or Room 13. This of course is ridiculous because it will be the thirteenth floor or the thirteenth room even if it has some other number on it.

So the next time you think of Friday the 13th as being unlucky you should think about treasure. Maybe that will change your luck a little. It ought to at least put a smile on your face. Treasure always does that to me!

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

I know that I have touched on this subject before but I recently received an e-mail from a moron, er, I mean, a guy I know, who was out treasure hunting, ran out of water and thought he was going to have to call for a rescue. He wasn’t planning on going into his site as far as he did and he wound up out of water and far away from a refill.

We are getting into the hot months of the year, really hot in some places and if you just feel the need to get out in the heat then be prepared! Figure out how much water you think you will need and then double it! I know that adds a lot of weight to carry around but if you going to hunt in the heat, start working out so you can carry the extra weight.

I have found that the easiest and most comfortable way to carry a lot of fluids is in a camelback. I have several different styles of these and the water reservoirs are all 100 ounces each. Depending on where I am hunting and the time of year I will carry up to four of these at a time plus two quarts of Gatorade. The only saving grace here is that as the day goes on the load gets lighter!

You can buy name brand equipment like Camelback or Hydra-Storm if you want but there are others out there that are almost as good and less expensive. I prefer Camelback’s bite valves and shut-off systems but even Wal-Mart carries a generic 64-ounce bag that you can slip into a backpack you already own. These are fairly cheap, just ten bucks the last time I checked. Any of these will allow you to fill it full of ice first and then add your water. Depending on how your backpack is set up this will help keep your back cool and give you cold water to drink at the same time. Full of ice and inside a backpack the water in a camelback will stay cool for several hours.

If you are lucky enough to hunt in an area that has a water source such as a creek, pond, river or lake then invest in a backpacker's water filter, something like the ones made by Pur or Sweet-Water. Make sure to get one that kills viruses. If the area you are hunting in doesn’t have a water source then make sure you carry more water than what you think you will need.

I also can’t say enough about Gatorade. I hate to sound like a commercial for them but when you are really sweating a bottle of Gatorade will do more for you than water will. I always carry both when I’m hunting. I prefer cold clean water when I’m thirsty but there are times I know I need what is in the Gatorade so I keep it handy too.

I don’t want to have to have this conversation again.

Think before you hunt, plan ahead and be prepared.

Spanish Window Photos

I wanted to put up a few more photos of some windows for you to see. Windows can come in all sizes and as I said before, can be used in different ways. These windows are from two different states.

The first is a double window but you ignore looking through the larger one on the right because the smaller window has a rock "dangling" from the top inside the window that points at what you need to go to next. This photo was taken from the opposite side that you should be looking through because it showed the pointer rock better.

The other windows are made to be looked through while kneeling. Notice that the third window actually makes an arrow shape. The pointer or triangle shape of the top gives you information about what you are looking for and the bottom part of the window is showing you where to look.

The fourth window although small, when looked through shows you a large rock in the distance that you need to go to to find the trail to what you are looking for. I have posted a photo shooting through this window so you can see that rock and how defined it is in the window. You can see that the rock you see through the window is fairly prominent and of a particular shape. While this window is made to look through and give you a point to go to it also tells you what direction to go in once you get to that point. You can see in the photo that the window points to the left and up the arroyo the large rock sits in.

The last window is of a triangle shaped window like a couple of the others. When looking for Spanish windows, the triangle shape is a VERY good thing. This last window is not a window at all but a pointer telling you to go to the left and up to find the treasure.

Spanish Windows

If you have hiked around an area with mountains and rocks you have no doubt come across a rock window or two in your travels. Some of these windows are just natural occurrences in nature but others are treasure markers telling you one or more things.

When you come across a “window” the most natural and logical thing to do is look through the window. If the window is treasure related and is intended to be looked through it is usually designed so that you can only see something by looking through it in one direction. The other direction will normally look into the sky or be blocked by something on the other side. This isn’t always the case but generally speaking it is.

When you look through the window there may be another rock in the window that makes a point into the window so that as you are looking through the window the point of another rock rests on or points at the formation in the distance you are to go to. You can have a window with a large opening and a small peep hole off to one side and the peep hole will be what you actually need to look through to see your next clue. You can also have a V formed inside a window and what you are looking for sets inside the V as you look through the window. There are several variations of how to use a window and they all depend on how the window is constructed and where you are meant to be when you look through the window. There are windows that have a deliberate step or seat on the side you are to look through that gives you a specific spot to be in to look through the window. If you run across one of these you have to remember the average Spaniard was only about 5’ 4” give or take a couple of inches and you have to adjust for that if you are taller or shorter than the average 16th century Spaniard.

Looking through a window can give you the next clue and that clue could be 20 feet away or it could be 200 feet or more away. A window is designed to be a line of site type marker and if you use logic in your thinking it should be fairly easy to decide how to look through the window and where to go next. Even though a window can be large in size, if the next clue is off in the distance the amount of area you see through the window is relative to where you are when you look through the window and how far in the distance you are looking. You will want to decide where you are expected to stand, sit or kneel to look through the window so that you will see what you are supposed to see. Even if there isn’t a marked spot to stand in, it is usually obvious if you use common sense.

A second use for a window is to depict a covered or sealed hole. If this is the case there is usually something with the window that gives a direction to go. If the window is telling you of a covered hole then you don’t need to climb up to it and look through it, what you need to do is study it from where you can see it from the trail. All of the information you need will be visible from the trail. You should be able to tell if there is a pointer with the window as they are usually obvious. If you don’t see an obvious pointer then you will need to climb up to the window and look through it to see if it is an actual window or something else. Keep in mind that an “open” window can also tell of a hole but this open window will also have a pointer with it giving you a direction to go.

If you want to get a little more complicated you can find the double window. This isn’t really all that complicated because most of the time one of the windows is telling you of a hole and the other will be giving you additional information like how close you are or even where the hole is located. I have posted a photo of a double window with this article. The definition of this window is in three parts. The first part, the small triangle window is telling you that there is a covered hole with treasure. The second part, the large open V window above the small triangle window is telling you that the hole you are looking for is at the base of the valley/gully and the third part, the pointer rock that forms the left side of the V is pointing you in the direction of that valley/gully.

It’s all about breaking the symbols down into their separate parts and looking at them in the proper order. Easier said than done sometimes!

There's Gold in Them Hills!

Coin shooters and cache hunters alike are always hoping to find that rare coin that will sell for the big bucks. We all have our reasons and they are probably all different but we all would like to find one, okay, maybe a hand full, of rare coins. The one pictured here is just such a coin and if you look in the right place you just might get lucky.

The Parson & Company coin pictured above was made in a private mint owned and operated by Dr. John Parson. Although he was a medical doctor he was an entrepreneur and had a background in metallurgy. Dr. Parson opened his mint in Tarryall, Colorado during 1860 issuing $20 gold ingots. Around the middle of 1861 Dr. Parsons began striking $2 ½ and $5 gold coins. His mint was located near the mouth of a Canyon northwest of Como.

You’ll notice on the coin that Dr. Parson put the word “ORO” on his coins. Although this is the Spanish word for gold it is thought he put the word on the coins because he intended to move his mint to Oro City, Colorado. This is of course just speculation on the part of some book writer but you never know, maybe he was right.

I’m sure you’re wondering why I bring up coins from a private mint other than the fact it’s a little interesting. First, there are only six known Parson $2 ½ gold coins in existence and only five known $5 gold coins in existence so finding one of these coins would bring you more than $100,000.00 each. Secondly, all of the gold Dr. Parson used to make his ingots and coins came from South Park. No, I’m not talking about the annoying cartoon; I’m talking about South Park, Colorado.

Gold was discovered in the South Park area (the southern part of Park County, CO,) in 1859 and within a few months the mountains were covered with mining camps and small towns. Gold can still be found in the streams and mountains so if you like to prospect or pan for gold this would be a good area to go to. There is still plenty of gold to be found.

If you are more into relic or cache hunting then you will want to do some research into the old mining camps and ghost towns. Just in Park County, CO alone there are forty-four ghost towns, including Tarryall where the mint was located. Tarryall was the center of the gold rush in Park County and latecomers to the area found themselves locked out, not allowed to look for gold in the area. These latecomers referred to the town of Tarryall as “Graball”. Being very disgruntled and a little ingenious these latecomers started their own town at the junction of Beaver and South Platte Creeks and called it Fairplay. They recovered large amounts of gold from the area for the next thirty years. I guess the old adage ”don’t get mad, get even” worked in this case.

As a side note, if you are in this area there is a completely restored ghost town with thirty-five of the original buildings still in the town. South Park City is the name of the place. It was restored and reopened to the public in 1959, exactly 100 years from the date of the first gold find. It sits just outside of Fairplay, Colorado.

Now, back to those coins. Because the South Park area grew up so fast with mining camps and small towns there were literally thousands of buildings including cabins, houses and stores in the area. The majority of these are gone to the winds by now but a good researcher could identify some of the locations. Remember, we’re talking about miners and most of them didn’t trust banks and buried or hid their gold, a lot of which is still out there.

In 1944 a hunter (not a treasure hunter) named Francis Brayler found one of these caches. Well, it was kind of a cache. I don’t think it was hidden intentionally but I’m pretty sure the owner wasn’t coming back for it. Mr. Brayler located a natural cave while hunting and inside the cave he found pots and pans, a Colt revolver, a rifle and several gold coins dated 1880. Oh yea, he also found a skeleton, probably the man who owned the coins and other things.

A cache of coins or gold nuggets or even a can of gold dust may await the intrepid hunter. Who knows, maybe you can find a Parson gold coin.

You can’t find it if you don’t look for it!

Treasure Auras

With the common use of the digital camera comes the end of the polaroid camera. I'm 100% sold on the digital camera, but there is one use for the polaroid that some may have never thought to exploit. Dowsing with a polaroid is a little known treasure hunting technique.

If you don't have one of these cameras laying around they are easy to find. You can find them on Ebay, flea markets, thrift stores, and garage sales. The hard part is finding film these days. To try this you will need a uv filter and sx70 film.

It seems that buried gold creates a magnetic change in the earth and thus creates a shaft of light that will appear in the picture. If you have an area that you suspect has hidden treasure the best time to take pictures a half hour after sunrise or a half hour before sunset. I've been told that a foggy day is a good time as well.

Does this work? All I will say is I have a friend that had taken pictures of an area that he wasn't treasure hunting in and one picture had a shaft of light. He went back to the area in which the picture was taken and sure enough there were treasure signs that he had overlooked.

If you want to read more about this Louis Matacia has written several books that covers this and much more. Finding Treasure Auras and Finding Treasure Combining Science and Parapsychology are the titles.

Interpreting Spanish Faces

If you have ever worked a Spanish trail to anything, be it treasure or a camp, you know that they used all sorts of markers to point you in a direction or give you specific information. One of several markers you can find on a Spanish trail is a face. Most of the faces you find will be in profile but occasionally you will come across a full face.

Most of you will think this explanation is pretty much a given but I’m going to give it to you anyway because some people like to read more into signs than what is actually there. Faces almost always look or point in the direction you need to go. They are made to be seen from the trail, therefore most of the time they will not be directly on the trail like some other markers.

What I mean by this is that a face can usually be seen as you are walking on the trail and before you actually need to do what the face tells you, which usually is to change directions. You may be walking in a gully and see a face 30 feet or more in front of you as you are on the trail but you won’t actually go in the direction the face is looking until you get closer. In most cases the direction to go is obvious because you are seeing the face in profile and it is simply looking in the direction you should travel. Nothing more, just “go this way”.

There are some exceptions to this rule and sometimes these exceptions are obvious and sometimes they aren’t. One exception to this rule is if the face isn’t giving a direction. A face can be looking at what you want to find or at something that is very important in taking you to what you are looking for. In other words, a face can be looking directly at the location of a treasure or it may be looking at an important marker or sign that you will need to find the treasure. If this is the case, the face usually can’t be seen from too far away and you usually don’t see it until you are almost right on it. A face can also be used to “oversee” a treasure location. You may go into an area where there is a large face or head on the side of a hill or mountain or even on a cliff and the face or head is looking out over the area where the treasure is. In this case the face probably won’t be looking directly at the treasure but at an area where you will find additional clues that lead you to the treasure in the area the face is looking over.

A face can also be giving you specific information as I talked about in a previous article. In the event the face is looking at the location of the treasure, the face will more than likely also give you some very important information about the hole and how to find it. It all depends on where the face is located. In the same previous article I explained that a face with one eye could be pointing you in a direction to go and telling you which side of the trail to look on. If it is looking at the location of the treasure then the parts of the face such as the mouth and eye can give specific information. There may even be something on the forehead or chin that gives information, all specifically designed to take you to the hole. Remember the KISS theory. Don’t get too elaborate in your theories and break each piece of information down to its basic meaning. Don’t try to read something into it that isn’t there. You have to remember these signs were made so that the person following them could look at them and know what they mean. In most cases there isn’t any surprise information in the sign. You also need to keep in mind where the sign was meant to be seen from. If it was meant to be seen from a distance then any small detail you might notice by going up to the sign and studying it is probably not important.

In the case of the photo I have posted with this article, because of the location and where it is looking, this face is simply telling you to go to the right, the direction the face is looking. I’m sure a lot of you are wondering just how the hell do I know what the face is telling me? Sometimes this is a trial and error thing and sometimes it is obvious. In the case of this face it was very obvious because the ground in the direction the face is looking is basically flat and wide open. Because of that I couldn’t be looking for anything on the right (the side of the face that the eye is on) so it was a matter of going in the direction the face was looking. By going that direction I found another clue about 100 yards a way, in a straight line in the direction the face was looking. I will also say that the next clue could be seen from the face but it was far enough away that you couldn’t see the detail until you got closer.

This face also told me that there was a covered hole in the direction I was to go.

Interpreting faces or heads is as much about where they are located and where you can see them from as it is about the faces themselves. Sometimes you get more information from the face based on where it is and where you are when you see it than the face itself. In the case of the face in the photo I have posted with this article, the face is what I would consider low to the ground and can only be seen from one direction and you have to be fairly close to it before you can see it because of the terrain. This indicated to me that this particular face was giving me a change in direction and I should go in the direction the face was “looking”.

Keep it simple and you will go far.