GCNJJR Rock Hawk Cache (Traditional Cache) in Georgia, United States created by gakayaker

This cache has been archived.

LZ33: CO's Last Visit: Saturday, 07 February 2015

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GCNJJR ▼

A cache by gakayaker Message this owner

Hidden : 4/20/2005

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Putnam County was first inhabited some 5,000 years ago by Archaic Indians. Later, a distinct culture of Woodland Indians inhabited the same site and built an effigy mound in the shape of an eagle. This mound, known as “Rock Eagle” and a similar one also in Putnam County known as “Rock Hawk,” are the only known remains of a Moundbuilder tribe that may possibly pre-date the Adena culture, earliest of the known effigy moundbuilders.

Early European explorers in the region noted that Native Americans continued building rock mounds even into the early contact period. Sometimes these mounds were built over the permanent burial spots of prominent warriors or chiefs. Other times the burials were temporary with the bones being exhumed later and the rock mound left as a type of memorial. Sometimes the rocks were piled on the spot where a warrior had been wounded in battle. Just as we build battlefield monuments and monuments to our fallen leaders, Native Americans appear to have done the same thing.
These same early explorers also noted that rocks were continually added to these mounds by passing Indians. It was a sign of respect to add a rock to the mound of a fallen warrior or chief. Just as we add flowers to the graves of loved ones for years after they have passed away, Southeastern Indians seem to have honored their dead in a similar way.
It is important to note that although these two mounds are referred to as an "eagle" and a "hawk", no one knows for sure if this is what the builders intended. In fact, they look more like buzzards than either eagles or hawks. Considering that buzzards have traditionally been seen as symbols of death due to their black color and their diet of dead, decaying animals, it is not completely unbelievable that the Native American builders would have constructed a burial mound in the shape of such a bird.
Both Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk are located on the highest points in Putnam county. Interestingly, it has been suggested that both Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk may have been enclosed by a rock wall made of the same type of rock as the mounds themselves. (The previous information came from the following web site – www.lostworlds.org/rock_eagle.html)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx ng gur onfr bs gur 2 gerrf gung unir snyyra naq ner snpvat va gur bccbfvgr qverpgvbaf sebz rnpu bgure.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

This cache has been archived.

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Rock Hawk Cache Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

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