gollum
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- Jan 2, 2006
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This has been done before to some extent, but I have been asked by a couple of people to start a new Death Trap Thread.
Some of you may recognize some of the diagrams I have included as I have taken diagrams from a few different books that demonstrate the most common Death Traps used by the Spanish in the New World. As this is not for profit, and general knowledge, I can't imagine the books authors would be upset. I will reference the books as well. I know this is an International Forum, but the requests were from people here the USA, and that is where my experience lies. I have never seen a European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Death Trap, although I know they exist. Input from around the world is welcome here (like pictures of Japanese Poison Gas Grenades set in concrete in the Phillipines).
To begin, let's talk about a few terms that everybody should know:
1. Trap Rock/Boulder: This is the rock/boulder that actually does the crushing/blocking. Most of the Trap Boulders are between 25-40 tons.
2. Trip: This is the Rock, Timber, or any device used to set the Death Trap in motion.
3. Support: This is the Rock or Timber (usually rock) that supports the Trap Boulder until the trap is set in motion by our sucker.
4. Overburden: This is all the loose rock, sand, dirt, timbers, etc. that is piled up behind or over the Trap Boulder to further crush the sucker and make it look like a normal landslide, hiding everything and everybody underneath it.
5. S/S: This means Sign/Symbol. This would be the actual carving itself that says "Death Trap" It could be a coiled snake, a heart with separations carved in it, a skull, a lightning bolt, etc. The first diagrams show some of the Death Trap Signs/Symbols.
6. Sucker: The person with just enough knowledge to get themselves into trouble. The person who will be on the Bad End of the Death Traps in this thread.
7. caliche (ca-leech-ay): This is a sort of cement made from calcium carbonate and lime. This material occurs naturally. The Spanish saw this and realised they could make it and use it to seal shafts and hide small cracks.
The first pictures are some of the different Death Trap S/S:
The first Death Trap on the menu is the common Grande or Fool's Trap. This trap is designed to get the person who has a very basic knowledge of Spanish Mine Engineering. All they know is that HEART=GOLD. The point of the heart points to the place to dig. They don't know about the nuances of heart carving designs. How little changes can mean have huge differences in meaning. They wouldn't see the little separations at the base of the heart. The Spanish counted on people's greed overtaking their caution (and they were most often correct). The little separations mean that there is no treasure here, only a Death Trap waits under the Trap Rock.
The Sucker digs under the boulder looking for the gold. When they have dug far enough in, this allows the support to move slightly, allowing the Trap Boulder to fall and crush the Sucker. As the bolder falls, the overburden comes down right behind it. This covers up the entrance, and make it look like a normal landslide. Whoever has the map knows the location anyway!
The first diagram is from Mike Pickett's "Treasure Hunters Gield Notebook".
The second diagram is from "Death Traps to Treasures" by Charles Kenworthy.
Some of you may recognize some of the diagrams I have included as I have taken diagrams from a few different books that demonstrate the most common Death Traps used by the Spanish in the New World. As this is not for profit, and general knowledge, I can't imagine the books authors would be upset. I will reference the books as well. I know this is an International Forum, but the requests were from people here the USA, and that is where my experience lies. I have never seen a European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Death Trap, although I know they exist. Input from around the world is welcome here (like pictures of Japanese Poison Gas Grenades set in concrete in the Phillipines).
To begin, let's talk about a few terms that everybody should know:
1. Trap Rock/Boulder: This is the rock/boulder that actually does the crushing/blocking. Most of the Trap Boulders are between 25-40 tons.
2. Trip: This is the Rock, Timber, or any device used to set the Death Trap in motion.
3. Support: This is the Rock or Timber (usually rock) that supports the Trap Boulder until the trap is set in motion by our sucker.
4. Overburden: This is all the loose rock, sand, dirt, timbers, etc. that is piled up behind or over the Trap Boulder to further crush the sucker and make it look like a normal landslide, hiding everything and everybody underneath it.
5. S/S: This means Sign/Symbol. This would be the actual carving itself that says "Death Trap" It could be a coiled snake, a heart with separations carved in it, a skull, a lightning bolt, etc. The first diagrams show some of the Death Trap Signs/Symbols.
6. Sucker: The person with just enough knowledge to get themselves into trouble. The person who will be on the Bad End of the Death Traps in this thread.
7. caliche (ca-leech-ay): This is a sort of cement made from calcium carbonate and lime. This material occurs naturally. The Spanish saw this and realised they could make it and use it to seal shafts and hide small cracks.
The first pictures are some of the different Death Trap S/S:
The first Death Trap on the menu is the common Grande or Fool's Trap. This trap is designed to get the person who has a very basic knowledge of Spanish Mine Engineering. All they know is that HEART=GOLD. The point of the heart points to the place to dig. They don't know about the nuances of heart carving designs. How little changes can mean have huge differences in meaning. They wouldn't see the little separations at the base of the heart. The Spanish counted on people's greed overtaking their caution (and they were most often correct). The little separations mean that there is no treasure here, only a Death Trap waits under the Trap Rock.
The Sucker digs under the boulder looking for the gold. When they have dug far enough in, this allows the support to move slightly, allowing the Trap Boulder to fall and crush the Sucker. As the bolder falls, the overburden comes down right behind it. This covers up the entrance, and make it look like a normal landslide. Whoever has the map knows the location anyway!
The first diagram is from Mike Pickett's "Treasure Hunters Gield Notebook".
The second diagram is from "Death Traps to Treasures" by Charles Kenworthy.
is the Entranceway Trap. This little honey is built into the materials that hide or prevent access to the entranceway itself. I will show two (one with pictures) .
