Metal Detectiing TN. cave / Anybody done this?

[jarocki]

To me left block is showing HWR and the right HLR possibly HWB and HCR. If they are initials , ending in R

 

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[huntsman53]

To me left block is showing HWR and the right HLR possibly HWB and HCR. If they are initials , ending in R

I may have to regroup and look at the left block in a different way but I just don't see the HWR! Also, what appears to be the initials HLR on the right block may not be initials at all because of the slanting bar in the "H", the squiggly horizontal lower bar in the "L" and the odd lower right leg in the "R". It is going to take some time and lots of thought to figure out the meanings of all of the etchings and there actually appears to be a lot more that just don't show up very well!


Frank

 

[Limitool]

Hey folks.... outside of the obvious sources can anyone think of a light portable lighting system to light up the area around this etched mound for me to video and get better photos. The obvious is a car battery and 12 volts lights with wires and alligator clips. But getting a car battery back there and out again is REALLY GOING TO BE HARD!!!! How long does anyone think a small 12 volt ATV battery would last? If I planned out the event and was ready the lights wouldn't have to be on for very long. Maybe 15-20 minutes would do it. Now I need to find a 12 volt black light to utilize also... any ideas?

Thanks... Brad

 

[jarocki]

I have seen at wall mart a ball cap that had built in lights, there are several portable lights available, check Walmart in sporting goods, or cabals or even bass pro or gander mountain.

 

[RobRieman]

Hey folks.... outside of the obvious sources can anyone think of a light portable lighting system to light up the area around this etched mound for me to video and get better photos. The obvious is a car battery and 12 volts lights with wires and alligator clips. But getting a car battery back there and out again is REALLY GOING TO BE HARD!!!! How long does anyone think a small 12 volt ATV battery would last? If I planned out the event and was ready the lights wouldn't have to be on for very long. Maybe 15-20 minutes would do it. Now I need to find a 12 volt black light to utilize also... any ideas?

Thanks... Brad

You can get an easy 20-30 minutes out of an ATV battery. Pack a car headlight and it ought to look like daytime!

 

[Limitool]

You can get an easy 20-30 minutes out of an ATV battery. Pack a car headlight and it ought to look like daytime!

Boy I'd really like to believe that because packing an ATV battery and a headlight in/out is "EASY" compared to a car battery. The headlight/wire and clips don't count. May try that.... thanks.

 

[mical66]

coleman lantern out of the question ?
we use them fishing and camping, 1 canister will last 8 hours or so.

 

[Limitool]

coleman lantern out of the question ?
we use them fishing and camping, 1 canister will last 8 hours or so.

NO... that's NOT out of the question. Good idea. I got two of them. Haven't fired them up in years but I got'em. Not sure they'd light up the cave like a headlight would but it would light up the surrounding area. May be a pain in the butt getting back there upright and not breaking glass but a great idea[/B. In fact that kind of light might show up fainted lines/etching on this etched mound. Thanks... Brad

 

[Birky]

I'm not sure what stores you have available within reasonable distance but there are some very bright LED lights available these days in various forms and easily portable.

One thing I would try is to light it from one side and then the other (down the length of the mound) so that the face of it is illuminated but the indented areas remain in shadow, that may reveal some shapes/lettering to all of us that may be hard to make out otherwise.

I'm gonna take your images into photoshop and play around with them later if I get some time, to see what I can come up with.

Either way this has been a very interesting read for me and a memorable adventure for you and others I'm sure

HH,
Chris

 

[Limitool]

EVERYBODY WHAT'S YOUR OPINION: Today I was researching "mud etching" from Native Americans and ancient residents and ran across this. I didn't even know "they" etched in mud. Does it mean anything...? I don't know.... BUT I'M GEEKED now. Maybe not a treasure cache (yet) but so cool if it turns out it is something found from that far back. I'm contacting the Anthropology professor now to inquire about this possibly.

"According to researchers, archaeologists have discovered an elaborate series of drawings made by American Indian people deep within caves in Middle Tennessee. Some of the drawings are in soft mud, a thin layer of clay sediment left there during long-ago floods and maintained by the cave's unchanging temperature and humidity. Some of the caves contain white lines etched into limestone.
After being studied with carbon-dating charcoal from half-burned slivers of cane, the dates vary from 800 years old (belonging to the Mississippian people) to older, around 4000 B.C. (6,000 years ago).
There are more than 70 known dark-zone cave sites east of the Mississippi, but the bulk lie in Middle Tennessee".

OoooK... I know calm down. When Frank, Chelsea and I went back I was hoping we'd MD something or discover something within all the hiding places from the entrance to the etched mound. That day we never got past the mound area... You'd have to understand/see the environment to understand why. Now... why would anyone crawl back to this point (51yds. & no light) and then carve out this etched mound... ? I'm all geeked for nothing probably. And I am going back NOW soon to light it up and document either way. I just got to know. I may never find a cache of gold but this would be cool. Later... Brad

 

[Limitool]

I'm not sure what stores you have available within reasonable distance but there are some very bright LED lights available these days in various forms and easily portable.

One thing I would try is to light it from one side and then the other (down the length of the mound) so that the face of it is illuminated but the indented areas remain in shadow, that may reveal some shapes/lettering to all of us that may be hard to make out otherwise.

I'm gonna take your images into photoshop and play around with them later if I get some time, to see what I can come up with.

Either way this has been a very interesting read for me and a memorable adventure for you and others I'm sure

HH,
Chris

Frank and I would be very happy for somebody else to look closely at what we have photographed and find other marking and/or etching and your comments/findings.

 

[bigblockjohn454]

First, I'd like to say thank you for sharing this adventure with all of us. WOW! You could have quite a find on your hands. Maybe not gold or silver. But the etching wall. Get the pics to someone who knows about those walls. Like whoever wrote the article you read. It could be huge. I do have some possible info on the etchings. If I can figure out how to PM you, I'll let you know what I have.

 

[XLTer]

I'm sure a local University would have a department that could decypher the etchings if they mean anything .

 

[dirtwizard]

Hey folks.... outside of the obvious sources can anyone think of a light portable lighting system to light up the area around this etched mound for me to video and get better photos. The obvious is a car battery and 12 volts lights with wires and alligator clips. But getting a car battery back there and out again is REALLY GOING TO BE HARD!!!! How long does anyone think a small 12 volt ATV battery would last? If I planned out the event and was ready the lights wouldn't have to be on for very long. Maybe 15-20 minutes would do it. Now I need to find a 12 volt black light to utilize also... any ideas?

Thanks... Brad

get yourself a couple streamlight brand LED flashlights and a couple desktop microphone stands. The 2 AA battery streamlights are incredibly bright and they aren't that much money. One of them lights up my 12x14' bedroom well enough to see everything clearly during power outages. The flashlights will fit in the microphone holders and you can aim them wherever you need light. They run for hours, LEDs use much less power than filament bulbs. The mic stands have a small base and can be taken apart and put in a small backpack or pouch.

If you want something brighter grab a 12v garden tractor battery from autozone for 30 bucks and wire it to one or two of these:
Amazon.com: LENBO 10W 12V DC Warm White LED Flood light High Power Waterproof Outdoor Lights Grey Case LW2: Home Improvement

You could even get a cheap solar charger made for waverunners and mount it outside the cave to charge the battery when the lights are off. :-)

keep us posted this is a great thread!

 

[JeromeAz]

No light and then carve a mound? They had to have light. Probably torches, possibly natural light. The cave isn't the same as it was that many years ago. May have been another opening somewhere around the mound. Its probably covered now. You have another year like 2010 and the opening will windup being covered too. Now you need to get a good light. Not a battery and headlight that could break or a lantern in case there's gas in there.

Walmart sells LED Maglites. They work great. It'll light that mound up. Try a battery power flood light from Walmart or a sporting good store. One of those will light the whole place up. Also Walmart also sells LED Headlights for your head so you can light up where your going. I wish I could get out there and help you! I have all these lights. I use them for going through the mines out here.

Go shopping Brad

 

[JeromeAz]

So what are you using for light right now?

 

[huntsman53]

First, I'd like to say thank you for sharing this adventure with all of us. WOW! You could have quite a find on your hands. Maybe not gold or silver. But the etching wall. Get the pics to someone who knows about those walls. Like whoever wrote the article you read. It could be huge. I do have some possible info on the etchings. If I can figure out how to PM you, I'll let you know what I have.

bigblockjohn454,

Brad and myself are definitely interested in reading what you might have on the etchings! We have wracked our' brains on this so much, that it is becoming too much to handle. In fact, I may take a few days off to gather my' thoughts and let my' brain have a rest. To send either of us (Limitool or huntsman53) a PM, after signing in to TNnet, locate some of our' posts within this Thread and just click on one of our' user names beside a post. This will bring up a small window with View Profile, Private Message, Add as Contact and View Forum Posts with small icons to the left of each. Just click on Private Message and another window will appear similar to an Email Composing Block or Thread Starter, enter the information and then just send. It is that easy!

Thanks!


Frank

 

[Limitool]

I totally agree with your above post Frank... I too am very tired of looking at what we have already photo'd of the mound. And you've spent a lot more time than me editing. Thanks for what you've done with those photo's Frank... I'm going to get you some better ones soon... Brad

 

[Limitool]

So what are you using for light right now?

"I wish I could get out there and help you! I have all these lights." I wish you could to... REALLY!! I use a large LED flashlight and a 6 volt lantern light (and small flashlight for backup). Both work ok... while the LED light focuses a beam of light for looking around it doesn't "light up" much of an area. Another "opening somewhere around the mound" I don't see anything that resembles a possible "old opening" anywhere around close Clay. Now, naturally they had to have some light source to carve and etch... so I'd bet on the torch. They didn't spend to much time in one spot after natural light because we didn't see any evidence of soot or ceiling "damage" as the entrance has. Apparently I need to go shopping or follow some of the suggestions above. I'd really like to flood the area with light so I can walk back from the light in the front into the light further back and video so everyone can get a better understanding of the environment.

 

[Limitool]

FYI FOLKS: I've done a little research and found that some of the ancients went deep into caves and left etching in the mud. While I realize finding a cache of hidden gold/silver won't happen from ancient mud etchings probably from ancient folks I really hope this mound is just that. I'd still be "happy". I attached a link explaining somewhat what "dark zone" means concerning the etching. I was blown away "they" could go this deep into caves... HOW. In the attached photo (which I posted before) there is some more etching in mud. But this point is WAY BACK in cave. If you were in the "tunnel" pictured on the right side exiting it (coming toward camera) there are more etching straight ahead on the wall. Just left of the "crack" are the etchings. The tunnel is on the right wall, crack opening is centered and etching are on the left cave wall. Now I want to go those pictures also but this will really be a job. 20 years makes a BIG difference on this endeavor. And who knows what I may have missed on the way back....

I contacted 3 folks who have knowledge of cave etching (glyphs) at 2 universities and hopefully they'll tell me if this is ancient etching or somebody from the 1800's doodling in the mud.

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