When a treasure legend becomes a reality.

[Crow]

I suppose it could be the virgin Mary, or could it be the "other" Mary and 1 or her 2 sons? Like the other picture there are hidden clues as Im sure you know. Just food for thought. Anyway here is the close up of the writing.

Gidday amigo the writing explains it all.

The painting is simple instruction Manuel for the priests for teaching the indigenous population that prayer to virgin Mary is the pillar for indigenous people to venerate. The cross on the pillar is as an endorsement by higher church authorities ecclesiastical cannon law that supports this method of teaching.

The image of the priest with his hands in prayer kneeling venerating the virgin Mary was a visual; way to show for non speaking Spanish Indians to understand what to do in church.

Can you imagine how alien and confusing the church practices in veneration it must of been for local Indian population being taught by people that speak one language ie Spanish and venerate images in Latin a dead language.

The images showed to illiterate and non Spanish speakers a visual story of christian faith. The mission after all was a mission to evangelize through healthcare food and structured society.

Crow

 

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[KANACKI]

Hola amigos

If we look through the eyes of indigenous people the conversion process of Christianity we will get a better picture of what the mission was. We have a semi nomadic hunter gather family free the roam where the game goes who had their own culture and gods of sun wind and sky. Whose lifestyle is entirely different to the Spanish concept of church settlement farming and establishment.

You can imagine the native wife dragging the husband into church with their kids in tow under the promise free food and healthcare. Entering in the church mission a sacred space, with people venerating in a strange language. With paintings and statues of strange people. Perhaps shiny gold or silver crosses reflecting in the light streaming in the from the windows, bells ringing, A chanting prayer echoing through the church with hanging silver incense burning giving off a fragrant smell. Silver candelabras with candles burning castling shadows on the paintings on the walls. A theatrical event even for those not quite sure what was going on?

For the poor desert Indian hunter gatherer living rough this must of been somewhat awe inspiring sight to see, even almost magical? But also baffling, worshiping a foreign god and saints that perhaps really did not have that much relevance in their day to day world.

But the grub was free and medicine to help in daily grind was enough to attract many natives and finally convert to this strange imposed religion? I can imagine the Husband bored out of his skull bewildered by the strange language trying to look interested in front of his wife and others in the pew. His eyes straying to the paintings on the walls that can convey the message of Christianity perhaps even better than the priests themselves babbling in the language the native souls barely understood.

Many bought into this newly imposed religion. Others did not as we know in history the merging of two cultures was not an easy one and the old gods fought with the new gods. Indian uprisings was common.

The path to evangelicalism was not easy one for the pioneering missions amigos.

So Today for us when we visit these amazing places we also get caught up in the magic they was designed to display. But we do not see the symbology in the original context of the desert native looked to be converted for food and medicine. We see in wonder of the symbolism used not knowing what the original context of those symbols was meant to represent. Which now seem all so strange and mysterious.

Kanacki

 

[Crow]

Gidday amigos

While its all well and good the few that we can show you of treasure legends that turn out to be true. The vast majority of treasure legends will turn out to be just legends.

While I see no harm in people researching such stories. In fact quite admirable. However I see in those who make following errors will invariably fail. Trust me all of us at one time or another has made some of those errors. Its just learning curve all of us need at one time or another need learn.

10 worst research mistakes searching for the truth behind treasure legends.

1. Failure to understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.
   
   Very important amigos primary source are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it. Examples of a primary source are: Original documents such as diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, records, eyewitness accounts, autobiographies. Empirical scholarly works such as research articles. In contrast, a secondary source of information is one that was created later by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you're researching. For the purposes of a historical research project, secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles.
   
   
   
   
2. Failure to find the earliest source of the story.
   
   When researchers build on hypothesis based on secondary information written a long time after the event. Rule of thumb the earliest account of the story to date of event has a tendency to be more accurate.
   
   
   
3. Failure in not referencing ones research sources.
   
   This is naughty habit of mine I some times do not properly reference the source for future reference. It causes problems when fact checking. It does not help ones hypothesis if one cannot back up ones claim.
   
   
   
4. Failure in not verifying all parties involved in the legend by independent sources. I see this time and time again names mentioned in treasure story and researcher failure to find out if they exist or not? I does not give the story much credibility if none of key people in the treasure story does not exist?
   
   
   
5. Failure in not understanding the dangers of cognitive bias.
   
   A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make. ... Cognitive biases are often a result of your brain's attempt to simplify information processing.These biases result from our brain's efforts to simplify the incredibly complex world in which we live. Confirmation bias, hindsight bias, self-serving bias, anchoring bias, availability bias, the framing effect, and inattentional blindness are some of the most common examples of cognitive bias
   
   
6. Failure in letting ego control ones research.
   
   Very dangerous Amigo some times we all need a kick in the pants reality check. While it can be embarrassing to make a research claim which later turns out to be clearly incorrect. Yet some times ego will blindly argue the point even to the point of refusing to except the facts. Even if it is staring in the face.
   
   
   
7. Failure in assuming the closest treasure legend near you or the most famous one is one worth researching.
   
   A common error as it normal with anyone starting out to research the nearest treasure to them is best one to research. True as its convenient. But it general it may well not be best one to research. It also goes with famous treasure legends. Some times its the one that is hardly known turns out to be more true than famous ones.
   
   
   
8. Failure in Finding out if the treasure really exists to begin with?
   
   We all love to find treasure right? Researching treasure legends is about getting to the truth. As soon as you make assumptions that treasure exists without fact checking you are deluding yourself. No point wasting your time and effort searching for some thing that was not missing or lost to begin with.
   
   
   
9. Failure in relying on information written as fact from hack lost treasure book authors.
   
   This is classic one and I am not ashamed to say the trio was guilty of this problem. In fact we are all guilty of it hanging off every word written in treasure magazine and books right? However these books are about selling the dream and making money. Why let truth getting in the way of a good story and making money from it? While they have uses to get the basic story you have fact check every part to sort the facts from the BS.
   
   
   
10. Failure to understand fact from fantasy like every object is connected to treasure.
    
    We all seen the treasure hunting movies hour and half action adventure plot twists and get the treasure and ride off into the sunset with the girl. Its all too easy to become too obsessed with the fantasy in searching for treasure amigo and become blind to all else. It is easy to associate and construct a theory with complex conspiracies and every landmark, object and sign has meaning relating to treasure on the slenderest of circumstantial evidence? And convince yourself that you some how have found a great treasure? It is all to easy to delude ourselves with such things, but when you dismiss facts that clearly do not fit your narrative? You should know the day you start lying to yourself is the day you have lost it. Yet many people do it. We can blame Hollywood and documentary producers for that image....
    
    In truth the real hardcore treasure hunter rarely goes public at all and from experience never admit to some thing they do not have to.Landholders treat you with suspicion and governments treat you little more than looters and media just see you as crank and if by a long shot you actually find some thing of value. Hell have no mercy on the finder.....
    
    They work long hours research through archives through libraries and document then painstaking build a project up to the point it is viable to have a search on the ground.Even with the best research there is no guarantees.
    
    Treasure hunting amigo is another form of gambling all a treasure researcher is trying to achieve is lowering the odds in actually finding some thing.
    
    In essence all we do is lowering the odds. The cold hard reality with the perhaps millions of detectors very few will ever find life changing treasure finds. For many it gives some thing to look forward for the fresh air walking and odd scrap of history, nothing wrong with that amigos like maybe winning the lottery. But amigos some people do.
    
    If any of the above helps those obviously passionate on the subject become better researchers then perhaps the treasure you seek becomes a reality and then raggedy old crows squinting over his lap top has not been in vain.
    
    Crow
    
    
    
    

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

Gidday amigos

While its all well and good the few that we can show you of treasure legends that turn out to be true. The vast majority of treasure legends will turn out to be just legends.

While I see no harm in people researching such stories. In fact quite admirable. However I see in those who make following errors will invariably fail. Trust me all of us at one time or another has made some of those errors. Its just learning curve all of us need at one time or another need learn.

10 worst research mistakes searching for the truth behind treasure legends.

1. Failure to understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.
   
   Very important amigos primary source are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it. Examples of a primary source are: Original documents such as diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, records, eyewitness accounts, autobiographies. Empirical scholarly works such as research articles. In contrast, a secondary source of information is one that was created later by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you're researching. For the purposes of a historical research project, secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles.
   
   
   
   
2. Failure to find the earliest source of the story.
   
   When researchers build on hypothesis based on secondary information written a long time after the event. Rule of thumb the earliest account of the story to date of event has a tendency to be more accurate.
   
   
   
3. Failure in not referencing ones research sources.
   
   This is naughty habit of mine I some times do not properly reference the source for future reference. It causes problems when fact checking. It does not help ones hypothesis if one cannot back up ones claim.
   
   
   
4. Failure in not verifying all parties involved in the legend by independent sources. I see this time and time again names mentioned in treasure story and researcher failure to find out if they exist or not? I does not give the story much credibility if none of key people in the treasure story does not exist?
   
   
   
5. Failure in not understanding the dangers of cognitive bias.
   
   A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make. ... Cognitive biases are often a result of your brain's attempt to simplify information processing.These biases result from our brain's efforts to simplify the incredibly complex world in which we live. Confirmation bias, hindsight bias, self-serving bias, anchoring bias, availability bias, the framing effect, and inattentional blindness are some of the most common examples of cognitive bias
   
   
6. Failure in letting ego control ones research.
   
   Very dangerous Amigo some times we all need a kick in the pants reality check. While it can be embarrassing to make a research claim which later turns out to be clearly incorrect. Yet some times ego will blindly argue the point even to the point of refusing to except the facts. Even if it is staring in the face.
   
   
   
7. Failure in assuming the closest treasure legend near you or the most famous one is one worth researching.
   
   A common error as it normal with anyone starting out to research the nearest treasure to them is best one to research. True as its convenient. But it general it may well not be best one to research. It also goes with famous treasure legends. Some times its the one that is hardly known turns out to be more true than famous ones.
   
   
   
8. Failure in Finding out if the treasure really exists to begin with?
   
   We all love to find treasure right? Researching treasure legends is about getting to the truth. As soon as you make assumptions that treasure exists without fact checking you are deluding yourself. No point wasting your time and effort searching for some thing that was not missing or lost to begin with.
   
   
   
9. Failure in relying on information written as fact from hack lost treasure book authors.
   
   This is classic one and I am not ashamed to say the trio was guilty of this problem. In fact we are all guilty of it hanging off every word written in treasure magazine and books right? However these books are about selling the dream and making money. Why let truth getting in the way of a good story and making money from it? While they have uses to get the basic story you have fact check every part to sort the facts from the BS.
   
   
   
10. Failure to understand fact from fantasy like every object is connected to treasure.
    
    We all seen the treasure hunting movies hour and half action adventure plot twists and get the treasure and ride off into the sunset with the girl. Its all too easy to become too obsessed with the fantasy in searching for treasure amigo and become blind to all else. It is easy to associate and construct a theory with complex conspiracies and every landmark, object and sign has meaning relating to treasure on the slenderest of circumstantial evidence? And convince yourself that you some how have found a great treasure? It is all to easy to delude ourselves with such things, but when you dismiss facts that clearly do not fit your narrative? You should know the day you start lying to yourself is the day you have lost it. Yet many people do it. We can blame Hollywood and documentary producers for that image....
    
    In truth the real hardcore treasure hunter rarely goes public at all and from experience never admit to some thing they do not have to.Landholders treat you with suspicion and governments treat you little more than looters and media just see you as crank and if by a long shot you actually find some thing of value. Hell have no mercy on the finder.....
    
    They work long hours research through archives through libraries and document then painstaking build a project up to the point it is viable to have a search on the ground.Even with the best research there is no guarantees.
    
    Treasure hunting amigo is another form of gambling all a treasure researcher is trying to achieve is lowering the odds in actually finding some thing.
    
    In essence all we do is lowering the odds. The cold hard reality with the perhaps millions of detectors very few will ever find life changing treasure finds. For many it gives some thing to look forward for the fresh air walking and odd scrap of history, nothing wrong with that amigos like maybe winning the lottery. But amigos some people do.
    
    If any of the above helps those obviously passionate on the subject become better researchers then perhaps the treasure you seek becomes a reality and then raggedy old crows squinting over his lap top has not been in vain.
    
    Crow
    
    
    
    

Bravo, my Friend.

Quite frankly, your/this post should be pinned to the top of the Treasure Legends Forum for all to benefit from. It is the 'Holy Grail' in any Historical Research undertaking, not just Treasure Legends.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The distance between "what if" and "what is" is long and fraught with opportunities for misdirection. I reckon you've summed it up here in a nutshell. By following the guidelines you've put forward in this post, a researcher will be one huge step closer to success in determining the Truth of a Legend.

Thank You for an outstanding post. It's proof that wisdom doesn't always issue from the mouths of eagles - sometimes it's spoken by a raggedy old crow.


Have a Good'un

 

[Crow]

Gidday Ol' kentuck

Thanks for the thumbs up. My guess is very few will heed those hard learned lessons? Perhaps for some the truth is not so important as the escapism? I think it is lesson they have will learn the hard way. .

After all there are no shortcuts in the University of Hard knocks.

Crow

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

Gidday Ol' kentuck

Thanks for the thumbs up. My guess is very few will heed those hard learned lessons? Perhaps for some the truth is not so important as the escapism? I think it is lesson they have will learn the hard way. .

After all there are no shortcuts in the University of Hard knocks.

Crow

No Sir, I reckon there ain't.

Yet here We are passin' crib notes.

Perhaps, as Alumni, we had one last lesson to learn. One in futility.


Have a good'un.