LUE MAP THEORY, MAYBE SOME CONTEXT

[mdog]

As a Mason, which might mean I am biased, admittedly, this looks very Masonic to me..... not Spanish. Of course, I am no LUE expert, but I do consider myself a Masonic one, and using my "Masonic sense," etc... The author's use of the word Shibboleth (not a spanish word) was the clue, for me, to look at this 'map' Masonically and when I did......boy does it sceam MASONRY. Can you tell me what is Spanish about this 'map?' Did the Spanish use many pyramids, stair-steps, bricks, pillars, and all-seeing-eyes in their maps? (Masons use them all the time, not necessarily in maps though.....) Honest question. I'm not arguing. And when I say it looks Masonic, I am referring to the 'map' itself and not any GE images with lines on top, and of course, the author's use of the word Shibboleth.

The bottom, shaded area of Rayano's overlay shows a lot of Masonic symbolism. Like you said, it screams MASONRY.

 

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[cuzimloony]

Here are lot of the major elements of that map in this Masonic candle here. Triangles, pyramids, blazing stars, bricks, all seeing eye.....

 

[cuzimloony]

The bottom, shaded area of Rayano's overlay shows a lot of Masonic symbolism. Like you said, it screams MASONRY.

View attachment 2182712

The top does too.

 

[mdog]

Here are lot of the major elements of that map in this Masonic candle here. Triangles, pyramids, blazing stars, bricks, all seeing eye..... View attachment 2182714

That's cool. the pyramid is divided into three sections like the small triangle in the lower right quadrant of the LUE map. What is the significance of the pyramid, if you can tell us?

 

[mdog]

The top does too.

Do you have an opinion of the LUE map, could it have been a study guide Tracing Board for the Masonic degrees?

 

[cuzimloony]

Do you have an opinion of the LUE map, could it have been a study guide Tracing Board for the Masonic degrees?

I don't see this being very useful as a tracing board, as we typically use them.
Who knows though... I guess somebody out there may have thought differently, but tracing boards are for deep truths, not strange puzzles. This is a strange puzzle to me. I dont know. Lol, but again I don't see use in this as a tracing board. I wish Ib could tell you better, but I am honestly lost as to what it is, but its inclusion in a treasure book that says its a map written by a man known for honesty, leads me to say map...but I honestly dont know :/

 

[Ryano]

mdog,

Your work, as usual, is very compelling and I’m much less skeptical than before that the LUE has a Masonic heritage thanks to your deep dive.

maybe it’s worth looking in detail at what KVM published when his readers were supposedly cracking the LUE code and reported their recoveries to him ?

I don’t have access to Randy’s books (mine are in storage in another state) otherwise I’d look myself, because Randy did a fine job of indexing all the instances of LUE mentions in the Prospector’s Gazette. Building upon ideas that you and others have previously suggested or hinted at - I’m thinking… what if this was an armchair treasure hunt of sorts by KVM, for Masons who would recognize the LUE symbology as such, and they would discreetly confirm their recognition to him by using numbers sacred to Masons ?

For example, KVM might report: “Mr. Johnson of Phoenix recovered 7 gold bars and 11 pots of silver..”

I realize my hypothesis suggests that no one really went looking for LUE treasure; that it was just a game for KVM to identify fellow treasure-hunting Masons via the Postal Service, a wink and secret handshake of sorts. It’s just a thought I had but I do much prefer the idea there is (or was) a huge hoard of gold out there waiting to be discovered

 

[mdog]

mdog,

Your work, as usual, is very compelling and I’m much less skeptical than before that the LUE has a Masonic heritage thanks to your deep dive.

maybe it’s worth looking in detail at what KVM published when his readers were supposedly cracking the LUE code and reported their recoveries to him ?

I don’t have access to Randy’s books (mine are in storage in another state) otherwise I’d look myself, because Randy did a fine job of indexing all the instances of LUE mentions in the Prospector’s Gazette. Building upon ideas that you and others have previously suggested or hinted at - I’m thinking… what if this was an armchair treasure hunt of sorts by KVM, for Masons who would recognize the LUE symbology as such, and they would discreetly confirm their recognition to him by using numbers sacred to Masons ?

For example, KVM might report: “Mr. Johnson of Phoenix recovered 7 gold bars and 11 pots of silver..”

I realize my hypothesis suggests that no one really went looking for LUE treasure; that it was just a game for KVM to identify fellow treasure-hunting Masons via the Postal Service, a wink and secret handshake of sorts. It’s just a thought I had but I do much prefer the idea there is (or was) a huge hoard of gold out there waiting to be discovered

Hi Ryano,

In my theory of the map, there are three things that make it a treasure map, the two dots in the lower right quadrant and the Sun rays. I understand that the first edition had both dots in the lower right quadrant but the Ram edition, the one I have, didn't. Maybe Cuzimloony can confirm that the two dots also make the circle and the large triangle Masonic symbols, the point in the center of the circle and the all seeing eye in the triangle. Also, von Mueller's use of the word "Shibboleth" in his caption below the LUE map. So it could be that the picture with the dots that he put in the first addition was, like you suggested, a heads up to other Masons.

I hadn't considered that he might have used reports of LUE recoveries as coded information, but it's a good idea.

I don't think von Mueller created the LUE but I think he knew what it was. He also mentioned in his LUE caption that anybody who figured out the LUE would never be able to carry away all the riches they discovered. Maybe because there were no material treasures.

You are also correct that the LUE map could have been created at a desk with no work in the field.

That overlay you made is fantastic and shows a high level of planning by the creator of the LUE map. Thanks again.

 

[cuzimloony]

In Commandary (Templar Lodge) this week we had a special Christmas Observation. The general public was invited. Family and friend were walking around taking pictures of the Lodge. There were very high ranking people w/i the organization there and nobody cared so..... As I said earlier, this is on the facebook page and now surely on the pages of anyone who attended. I feel safe posting this.
This painting is what tells me to look at this map Masonically.

 

[mdog]

In Commandary (Templar Lodge) this week we had a special Christmas Observation. The general public was invited. Family and friend were walking around taking pictures of the Lodge. There were very high ranking people w/i the organization there and nobody cared so..... As I said earlier, this is on the facebook page and now surely on the pages of anyone who attended. I feel safe posting this.
This painting is what tells me to look at this map Masonically.
View attachment 2183658

Would this be the representation of "Shibboleth", the falling water and the sheaf of wheat? There also seems to be an eye shape in the tree and five stepping stones in the river. Was it this painting and the word "Shibboleth" in the LUE caption that got your attention?

 

[mdog]

Here are some interesting things that can be found on Ryano's overlay of the LUE map. The shaded area on the bottom half of the map is the overlay. The white lines in the overlayed half are the lines from the top of the LUE map.

The map is oriented with east at the top, west at the bottom, north to the left and south to the right. This orientation is correct because the Sun is in the south and the winding stairs are at the south entrance to the Temple of Solomon and part of the Masonic 2nd Degree. Also, in the lower left quadrant. there is a point in the center of a circle, with two parallel lines, on the left and right sides of the circle. This is a Masonic symbol and one line is on the north and the other line is on the south.

It's my belief that the small triangle in the bottom left quadrant of the map, represents the alter that is found in a Masonic Temple. Here's an excerpt from a link that describes the location of the alter, in the Temple.

" From facts and hints such as these we begin to see the meaning of the Altar in Masonry, and the reason for its position in the Lodge. In English Lodges, as in the French and the Scottish Rites, it stands in front of the Master in the East. In the York Rite, so called, it is placed in the center of the Lodge - more properly a little to the East of the center - about which all Masonic activities revolve. It is not simply a necessary piece of furniture, a kind of table intended to support the Holy Bible, the Square and Compasses. Alike by its existence and its situation it identifies Masonry as a religious institution, and yet its uses are not exactly the same as the offices of an Altar in a Cathedral or a Shrine."

As you can see, the small triangle is slightly off center, to the east (top of the map). I also believe the two columns that are joined by the triangle, represent the two columns at the east entrance of Solomon's Temple, these two columns were named Boaz and Jachim. Ryano's overlay shows a small gap between these two columns that would be the entrance into the Temple. This is easy to recognize if you hinge the bottom of the columns, on the east end (top) of the columns. You would have two upright columns with a gap between them, the entrance to the Temple. As you walk between the two columns, you would see the alter (the small triangle) in front of you.

What I was having a hard time figuring out is how do I prove the small triangle is the alter? A clue about the appearance of the alter is that on the front of the alter is the Masonic symbol showing a point in the center of a circle with two parallel lines on the north and south part of the circle. This clue is shown just to the left of the small triangle and is a part of three large triangles that, I believe, is the front of the alter. So, how do I tie the two clues together? This is where Ryano's overlay shows information that you would, otherwise, miss. I took an extra copy of Ryano's LUE overlay and cut out the large triangles. Then I slid the top corner of the triangles along the left side of the dome that is shown in white.

As you can see, the point of the large middle triangle lines up with the small triangle, connecting the large and small triangles.

You can also see that the point of the small triangle touches the small dot that is shown at the top of the large triangle. This is also the correct alignment because the the left parallel line of the point within a circle symbol, is unbroken. I think this proves that the small triangle represents the alter in the Masonic Temple.

Whoever designed the LUE map must have been one smart person. Thanks again Ryano for the overlay.

 

[cuzimloony]

All looks and sounds good. I have nothing bad to say and am still impressed by your determination and progress . One small point and this is anecdotal as it seems you may be on to something and I do not say this to throw you off. I think I may have said it already. I do not know of any alter with a circumpunct on it. There may be designs with the circumpunct in front of the altar...but its not common, nor is it regulation. If the circumpunct on this map belongs on the 'altar' this would be the first time Ive seen that anywhere.
Other than that.... carry on and good work!

 

[mdog]

All looks and sounds good. I have nothing bad to say and am still impressed by your determination and progress . One small point and this is anecdotal as it seems you may be on to something and I do not say this to throw you off. I think I may have said it already. I do not know of any alter with a circumpunct on it. There may be designs with the circumpunct in front of the altar...but its not common, nor is it regulation. If the circumpunct on this map belongs on the 'altar' this would be the first time Ive seen that anywhere.
Other than that.... carry on and good work!

I've seen the point within a circle symbol in some of the 1st Degree Tracing Boards, as well as in articles describing the 1st Degree. I also have a book by Julian Rees that mentions the point within the circle on the Lodge Alter.

Masonic Tracing Board, First Degree

Read the full record details for Object: Masonic Tracing Board, First Degree

livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au

Freemasonry in Israel - The Iconography of the Tracing Boards

The Point within a Circle

"On the Altar is inscribed a circle with a point in its center. [22]

This, according to Masonic rituals, represents the bounded space where a Mason cannot go astray. North and south of this circle are two parallel lines, representing the two great Saints John, the Baptist and the Evangelist, who themselves are connected to the two solstices: that in the summer (June 24) with the Baptist, that in winter (December 27) with the Evangelist. In many jurisdictions, including England, attempting to avoid giving a Christian meaning to Masonic symbols, they are explained differently, as representing the prophet Moses and King Solomon. The upper edge of the circle is tangent to the Volume of the Sacred Law. Therefore, when a Mason goes around this circle, he must necessarily touch the two parallels and the greatest luminary of Freemasonry."

Cuzimlooney, thank you very much for your help. The person or persons who created the LUE map were artists and I would like to find out who they were.