Carved Eagle

[stealthb2000]

A friend of mine took me to a location on a Reservation, of which he is a member of the tribe. At this location was an Eagle carved from sand stone. It was really old, some of the eagle's head was weathered away. The eagle's head was truned to the left, the wings were raised, but not like they were in flight, and the lower part of the wings were drawn into the side fo the eagle's body. Across the chest of the eagle was what appeared to be a ribbon, on the ribbon appeared to be Spanish writing, but most of the writing was weathered away. I don't know what the eagle is suppose to simulate. The carving is about 3 to 4 feet tall. The body faces the west, and it is located on the western sloap of a small hill, some 10 feet in elevation from the base of the hill. People say there might be a treasure close by. My theroy is the eagle was carved by the Spanish, to mark that particular location, but I don't know what the eagle simulates. Does anybody know?
Bill

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[Gypsy Heart]

I am not sure what Indian Tribe Reservation you went to, but generally an eagle is a symbol of 'heaven" or 'above the clouds". Many Indian nations honored great chiefs of their tribes by erecting monuments of eagles....
Apaches, Pueblo Indians, and even Spanish soldiers and settlers continued to create rock art over the centuries. They probably did it for many reasons: aesthetic, magical, religious, historical, astronomical, as a part of hunting rituals--or a combination of the above.
The conquering Spanish also created rock art, which first appeared in the 1600s and includes Christian crosses, inscriptions, and figures of priests and soldiers left by explorers, sheepherders, traders, settlers, and missionaries. Crosses are most common, and they are often found near or on top of Indian rock images, presumably to protect and exorcise the possible evil influences of the Indian figures.

 

[suwannee pirate]

I found an axe head and I believe that it is ceremonial as there was no sigh of use on anything hard and it is made of a type of sandstone on one side there is an eagle or thunderbird and a moon or sun slightly above it to theside ,on the other side there us an upraised arm .I thought it might of been used for sacrifices with that arm raised up like that . Its hard to see ,I had to take a paper and a pencil and do a rubbing to get the detail

 

[suwannee pirate]

Here is the other side Bob

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Wow Bob...that is a great find ....and you found this in PA, correct .....let me look in a few journals tonight and see what I can find on that for you....

 

[suwannee pirate]

Yea Gypsy , Pa where it came from and when you figure that out I got one that will really impress you that is amazing its got gold and everything !And its got me stumped !!You are really good at this ,you should get a research grant,but that might take the fun out of it . Thanks Bob

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Would this have been a Thunderbird? I know you have mentioned the Spanish, and although the Jicarilla Apache didnt actually have a designated reservation until much later, they still roamed the area for many years prior.

The Apache?s were an extremely religious and secretive people, little was known about their culture and customs until the late nineteenth century. Apache women in society were generally noted for their fine basketry. When they became mothers-in-law, they were subject to a notable and rigorously enforced taboo under which their sons-in-law could not speak to or look directly at them. They were true nomads, with courage and endurance exceeded by no others.

The Jicarilla belonged to the Apache tribe that lived in what is now south-eastern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Jicarilla means `little basket` referring to the pitch covered baskets made by the Apache women for carrying water. These people were expert hunters and trappers.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Yea Gypsy , Pa where it came from and when you figure that out I got one that will really impress you that is amazing its got gold and everything !And its got me stumped !!You are really good at this ,you should get a research grant,but that might take the fun out of it . Thanks Bob

Bob,
I have found several of these axe heads that were dug in CT,PA,NY....on the internet.....all going between 2-500.00 dollars....but yours seems to be in exceptional condition....Now I am waiting to see that gold one!

 

[suwannee pirate]

Ok ,I'll go take a picture after I dig it out of the snake filled vault ........Bob