UPDATE: Indian Manitou Bust find !

Pa.Billy

Full Member
May 10, 2008
161
12
Indiana Co. Pa......... finds include,confedera
Detector(s) used
Garrett 2500
UPDATE: I took a trip down to Fort Ligonier Museum today, it's only about an half hour from my place. Beforehand I arranged by
phone to meet with the museum curator there, Brad Mooney, he also works part time as historical restoration specialist of
Heritage Restorations in Ligonier, he's the owner of this company. He told me he has 35 years of experience in local
archeology. He looked at the stone and said within 10 seconds that the groove that continued almost 3/4 of the way around
the stone was shaped by man and not naturally occurring. He could not say that any other part of the stone was shaped by man
nor could he say it wasn't, his focus for the 10 minute inspection was on grooved section. He could not say who shaped it
but when I told him exactly where I found it (cairn, a man made pile of rocks)and I suggested the groove was the neck he
shook his head and said most likely the best scenario. You connect the dots, worked stone on top of a cairn pile, looks
like it could be a native American,plenty of other stone placement in the area characteristic of indian activity.....
I asked him if he would make a YouTube video on the spot there and he said "yes I would mind" I then asked him if I could
quote him and he said why? I told him some internet forums was dismissing the post because it was without very
much merit because it did not appear to be worked, he said "get used to it"
Within 200 yards of this cairn is numerous rock piles, most with unmistakable tell tale signs of
native American stone placement such as videos below which show a probable non-worked
Manitou stone (left) in the first video with a unmistakable niche (rock propping up another rock)
right beside it, all this on a 15 ft wide cairn or rock pile.
The second video is more Indian rock structure building, note what looks like a headstone
almost in the first part of the video and then a series of large rocks placed in a row.
BradMooneyFortLigonier.jpg


ManitouBustVerticleBBB7-10-11.jpg


This is one of 2 large 4-5 ft high
"Standing Stones" found on opposite hillsides facing a burial ground. The closet one to
the manitou bust is only about 2 tenth of a mile away as the crow flies. I point these large standing to show
that these cairns don't exist in a vacuum

StandingStone_Bill5-22-11.jpg


unworked manitou stone (left) and niche (right)






I've been searching this area behind my uncles place since I found rock piles there on April 24th. I've been exploring the place 3-4 times a week to try and stay ahead of loggers who look ready to descend on the land in a matter of weeks or months. This was found laying on top of a cairn, sort of upside down. It weighs in at 35 pounds (looks like there's some iron ore in it) and stands 11 1/2 inches high.
Here is the video below of the initial find 2 days ago,at the time I mistook the flatter back side to be the front but it obviously is not.

ManitouBustFound7-6-11.jpg


 

Upvote 0
Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

I wouldn't know an Indian Manitou if it jumped out of the bushes and bit me.
ALL THE SAME, that looks like an interesting piece of rock.......and the weight might be being made by the vein of
whatever ore is going from top to bottom.
I am interested in knowing what an Indian manitou is......
Good hunting, and way to keep your eyes open. :thumbsup:
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

I think I can understand the other poster's asking about the "what is it" forum.
I can see the outline of a head, but it looks more like the outline of George Washington than
any Indian that I can think of. PLEASE.....tell me what these were used for, and are they common/rare, etc.
Thanks
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

hikeinmts said:
I think I can understand the other poster's asking about the "what is it" forum.
I can see the outline of a head, but it looks more like the outline of George Washington than
any Indian that I can think of. PLEASE.....tell me what these were used for, and are they common/rare, etc.
Thanks

once again wow,I was thinking like maybe banner here ? Indians were very superstitious, and spiritual,they would look for naturally occurring images of rocks that looked like the human form,especially the upper body. As in this case they went out of their way and shaped this out of sandstone to create a human likeness,maybe even their own. This isn't ole George, I've found a prayer niche,( 2) 5 ft high standing stones on the opposite hillsides pointing directly toawrd a burial ground and all within a half mile as the crow flies of where I found this manitou stone.
Here's a later video I made showing better the craftsmanship that went into this piece.
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

I've heard of the rock mounds.....I haven't looked at your video yet, but definately going to.
I live/hunt in S. Korea, and one of the most productive places I hunt is around where THE KOREANS have piled up
rocks in the hills....near the villages.....nothing to do with burial grounds.....everything to do with their old old superstition.
(The majority of all Koreans don't go up in the hills/mts anymore, except on 2-lane hiking trails that thousands of folks
go on. So, most have all but forgotten about these sites. In fact, I will be digging coins out of one of the sites, and
if I see any hikers, they will often ask, "Why are you digging there?" "What is this place?" They themselves don't know
about it/have completely forgotten about it.
Hope you have some good photos of the area(s) that you found the indian artifact. Really has me interested......
because Koreans and American Indians have the same common ancestory......trace either back to the Mongols. Easily
identified by what is commonly referred to as, "The Mongolian Spot." Only Mongols/descendents have it.
Keep up the good hunts, and keep us informed about great finds like yours above. :thumbsup:
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

hikeinmts said:
I've heard of the rock mounds.....I haven't looked at your video yet, but definately going to.
I live/hunt in S. Korea, and one of the most productive places I hunt is around where THE KOREANS have piled up
rocks in the hills....near the villages.....nothing to do with burial grounds.....everything to do with their old old superstition.
(The majority of all Koreans don't go up in the hills/mts anymore, except on 2-lane hiking trails that thousands of folks
go on. So, most have all but forgotten about these sites. In fact, I will be digging coins out of one of the sites, and
if I see any hikers, they will often ask, "Why are you digging there?" "What is this place?" They themselves don't know
about it/have completely forgotten about it.
Hope you have some good photos of the area(s) that you found the indian artifact. Really has me interested......
because Koreans and American Indians have the same common ancestory......trace either back to the Mongols. Easily
identified by what is commonly referred to as, "The Mongolian Spot." Only Mongols/descendents have it.
Keep up the good hunts, and keep us informed about great finds like yours above. :thumbsup:

thanks hikeinmts, much appreciated. I thought this forum was up to speed on this kind of stuff, they've given the banner honors to clovis points I believe.
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

Pa.Billy said:
allen said:
Did you place this in the what is it forum?
Definetily looks like something !

wow, surprised by the reaction here...... I didn't think it needed a what is forum,I thought it spoke for itself ?! Do I need to stick glasses on him ? :-)

What one person sees another may not, seen posts here of finds members thought were artifacts which are just rocks shaped by mother nature.....Take it to a professional and have it looked at.......
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

Looks like a Mother Nature formed Manitou to me but I'm no expert. If it is a Manitou, Ive walked by dozens of them on my hunting lease in Alabama. I found a nutting stone that everyone says is just a rock, but I know different.
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

I thought the flat part was manmade until I saw the rock that you picked it off of was flat also. I'm not saying its just a rock, I'msaying what I think it looks like.
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

I cant tell from the video, but if you say its been worked I believe you. I have a nutting stone and when I show it to people they look at me like I'm stupid and say its a rock. :dontknow:
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

Nice find no matter what " My father collected indian artifacts...He had a few
that had been worked the same with larger stones. Where It was worked ..a rope (hemp/dear/elk skin)
was attatched and it was used as an anchor for a boat.
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

im not really seein what all the excitement is about. but then again, im no pro.
i sense youre getting upset with the forum...perhaps you shouldn't be holding your breath. you posted this today and have already called the forum out on their lack of excitement. try letting your post get some hits by more members...those that know their stuff will come forward.
maybe put some pictures up? that way people can draw what they "see"
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

DeadheadDigger said:
im not really seein what all the excitement is about. but then again, im no pro.
i sense youre getting upset with the forum...perhaps you shouldn't be holding your breath. you posted this today and have already called the forum out on their lack of excitement. try letting your post get some hits by more members...those that know their stuff will come forward.
maybe put some pictures up? that way people can draw what they "see"
ok,thanks for the input. I don't how I can improve on the second video with photographs except for people who might not want to go to YouTube for some reason/time issue but i'll see what I can do with taking some more pics.

 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

Keep hunting my friend ... someday find a distinctly human sculpture. :wink:
H
 

Re: Indian Manitou Bust find !

lostlake88 said:
don't think so! Just a fugly rock. :laughing9:

I'm trying to make arrangements to have it looked at by some experts. Everyone who has seen it in person has said they feel it's authentic and is a worked piece. Certainly no experts but 2 old friends with 50+ years each of casual indian artifact hunting experience.
 

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