Mysterious Bow and Arrow Archeological Site

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:23 AM

I don't know why I am spending so much time on this, but I find it interesting. I like to find strange little historical things when I go on bicycling trips. Maybe someone on a skeptic board will find this interesting.

This is a historical marker by the Mississippi River in Wisconsin. More pictures will follow.

Bow and Arrow

The rock outline you see on the distant bluff is an archeological curiosity. Jacob V. Brower, a Minnesota archeologist, observed this formation in 1902 and interpreted it as a bow and arrow. In 1903 he wrote, "Some of the stones representing the bowstring are displaced. The intention seems to have been to represent a bow and arrow drawn to shoot toward Lake Pepin" [wide part of Mississippi] Modern archeologists think the boulders may form a bird effigy, but no one has reached a definite conclusion. Although it is an old, well-known landmark, perhaps even ancient, its origin and age are unknown and it is not part of the Indian lore of this region. Boulder alignments made by Indians exist in other states, but this is the only one known in Wisconsin. Was it made by Indians? Is it a bow and arrow or a bird? It remains a mystery. Erected 1979.

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:26 AM

Now here is a picture of the site I found on the web. Sorry, I got this pic a while ago, and I don't have the site. I just googled for it.

See the bow and arrow on the left?

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:29 AM

Now here's another picture I found on the web. Again, sorry for not having the source.

Wow! The hill somehow moved CLOSER to the sign. That road where the sign is was never that close to that hill. Something is fishy here.

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:32 AM

Now here is an actual picture of the site that I took. I cropped it down to reduce it's size for posting.

The stone at the bottom is the stone of the sign shown in the above photographs. You can see that the hill is not close to the sign. And you almost can't see the bow and arrow at all.

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:35 AM

So what is my point?

The first photo shows that the "bow and arrow" has been modified. Either the photo is modified to make it more white, or someone is going up on that hill and "preserving" the thing.

The second photo shows that it's been tampered with. The hill is not that close.

So my point is, and it's no surprise to people on this board, don't trust evidence without thoroughly checking it out.

Any opinions on this "bow and arrow"? Or is it a bird? Think it's a real "Indian" site? Or did some bored Wisconsin teenagers make it in 1901?

hgc · 3rd October 2003, 11:36 AM

How do they know that it's not a natural phenomenon? Is it definitely established as a man-made?

Ed · 3rd October 2003, 11:37 AM

Did you go up to the damn thing and check it out? If I were a Pentecostal, I'd say it look like a cross on it's side.

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:44 AM

Sorry, I don't really know anything about it but what that sign says. My searching around didn't turn up any more info yet.

I googled again and found where I got the photo with the "moving" hill. Public domain pic.
http://www.byways.org/image_library/...ml?CX_COLL=125

Going up to see it would be interesting. However, it's quite a walk, and when I have been there I've been in bicycle shoes (cleats on bottom) and dressed in spandex shorts.

ceptimus · 3rd October 2003, 11:46 AM

To make the hill look closer to the stone, you just stand way back from the stone and photograph it through a long (telephoto) lens. This perspective compression is a well known effect to keen photographers. The pictures of the (apparently huge) moon rising behind buildings in the film Koyaanisqatsi were done like this.

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ceptimus
To make the hill look closer to the stone, you just stand way back from the stone and photograph it through a long (telephoto) lens. This perspective compression is a well known effect to keen photographers. The pictures of the (apparently huge) moon rising behind buildings in the film Koyaanisqatsi were done like this.

Oh. I didn't know that. Thanks. So modified is not the right word, just creatively photographed.

Ed · 3rd October 2003, 12:00 PM

Suggestion:

Next time you are around there, walk up and rearrange the stones to spell "ED". Then an archeologist can find it and do a new sign that will be headed "ED" and will offer suggestions on how the stones moved. Lucianarchy will generate a paranormal explanation. Or rather will cite someone else's paranormal explanation. The entire population of Wisconson will put down their cheese and visit. You and I will open a bong/mushroom stand and make a fortune.

I used to go visit SC Johnson in Wisc. and satisfied myself that it is a very scarey place. It is flat. They have cows and such. They could do with a natural vista that says "ED". It would be uplifting and cool for the residents.

Alternatively, you could steal the stones and rearrange them to say "ED" somewhere off the Fla. Keys. You could find them and say that it is proof positive that aliens named "ED" visited Earth Eons ago. You can write a book. You can make a fortune.

You could also make crop circles that say "ED" as a tie in.

All of this advice is free of charge. Just remember that you spell "ED" "E"+"D", okay?

(sorry, I am feeling punchy for some reason)

uneasy · 3rd October 2003, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed
(sorry, I am feeling punchy for some reason)

No problem, Ted.

Ed · 3rd October 2003, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by uneasy

No problem, Ted.

3rd October 2003, 11:23 AM	#1
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Mysterious Bow and Arrow Archeological Site I don't know why I am spending so much time on this, but I find it interesting. I like to find strange little historical things when I go on bicycling trips. Maybe someone on a skeptic board will find this interesting. This is a historical marker by the Mississippi River in Wisconsin. More pictures will follow. Bow and Arrow The rock outline you see on the distant bluff is an archeological curiosity. Jacob V. Brower, a Minnesota archeologist, observed this formation in 1902 and interpreted it as a bow and arrow. In 1903 he wrote, "Some of the stones representing the bowstring are displaced. The intention seems to have been to represent a bow and arrow drawn to shoot toward Lake Pepin" [wide part of Mississippi] Modern archeologists think the boulders may form a bird effigy, but no one has reached a definite conclusion. Although it is an old, well-known landmark, perhaps even ancient, its origin and age are unknown and it is not part of the Indian lore of this region. Boulder alignments made by Indians exist in other states, but this is the only one known in Wisconsin. Was it made by Indians? Is it a bow and arrow or a bird? It remains a mystery. Erected 1979.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:26 AM	#2
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Now here is a picture of the site I found on the web. Sorry, I got this pic a while ago, and I don't have the site. I just googled for it. See the bow and arrow on the left?
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:29 AM	#3
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Now here's another picture I found on the web. Again, sorry for not having the source. Wow! The hill somehow moved CLOSER to the sign. That road where the sign is was never that close to that hill. Something is fishy here.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:32 AM	#4
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Now here is an actual picture of the site that I took. I cropped it down to reduce it's size for posting. The stone at the bottom is the stone of the sign shown in the above photographs. You can see that the hill is not close to the sign. And you almost can't see the bow and arrow at all.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:35 AM	#5
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	So what is my point? The first photo shows that the "bow and arrow" has been modified. Either the photo is modified to make it more white, or someone is going up on that hill and "preserving" the thing. The second photo shows that it's been tampered with. The hill is not that close. So my point is, and it's no surprise to people on this board, don't trust evidence without thoroughly checking it out. Any opinions on this "bow and arrow"? Or is it a bird? Think it's a real "Indian" site? Or did some bored Wisconsin teenagers make it in 1901?
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:36 AM	#6
hgc Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 13,028	How do they know that it's not a natural phenomenon? Is it definitely established as a man-made?

3rd October 2003, 11:37 AM	#7
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	Did you go up to the damn thing and check it out? If I were a Pentecostal, I'd say it look like a cross on it's side.
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	__________________ "The history of science is the record of dead religions" Phrases And Philosophies For The Use Of The Young Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Our Guarentee: One obscure (or not) Python reference per day.

3rd October 2003, 11:44 AM	#8
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Sorry, I don't really know anything about it but what that sign says. My searching around didn't turn up any more info yet. I googled again and found where I got the photo with the "moving" hill. Public domain pic. http://www.byways.org/image_library/...ml?CX_COLL=125 Going up to see it would be interesting. However, it's quite a walk, and when I have been there I've been in bicycle shoes (cleats on bottom) and dressed in spandex shorts.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 11:46 AM	#9
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,316	To make the hill look closer to the stone, you just stand way back from the stone and photograph it through a long (telephoto) lens. This perspective compression is a well known effect to keen photographers. The pictures of the (apparently huge) moon rising behind buildings in the film Koyaanisqatsi were done like this.
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,316	__________________

3rd October 2003, 11:49 AM	#10
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Quote: Originally posted by ceptimus To make the hill look closer to the stone, you just stand way back from the stone and photograph it through a long (telephoto) lens. This perspective compression is a well known effect to keen photographers. The pictures of the (apparently huge) moon rising behind buildings in the film Koyaanisqatsi were done like this. Oh. I didn't know that. Thanks. So modified is not the right word, just creatively photographed.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 12:00 PM	#11
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	Suggestion: Next time you are around there, walk up and rearrange the stones to spell "ED". Then an archeologist can find it and do a new sign that will be headed "ED" and will offer suggestions on how the stones moved. Lucianarchy will generate a paranormal explanation. Or rather will cite someone else's paranormal explanation. The entire population of Wisconson will put down their cheese and visit. You and I will open a bong/mushroom stand and make a fortune. I used to go visit SC Johnson in Wisc. and satisfied myself that it is a very scarey place. It is flat. They have cows and such. They could do with a natural vista that says "ED". It would be uplifting and cool for the residents. Alternatively, you could steal the stones and rearrange them to say "ED" somewhere off the Fla. Keys. You could find them and say that it is proof positive that aliens named "ED" visited Earth Eons ago. You can write a book. You can make a fortune. You could also make crop circles that say "ED" as a tie in. All of this advice is free of charge. Just remember that you spell "ED" "E"+"D", okay? (sorry, I am feeling punchy for some reason)
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	__________________ "The history of science is the record of dead religions" Phrases And Philosophies For The Use Of The Young Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Our Guarentee: One obscure (or not) Python reference per day.

3rd October 2003, 12:06 PM	#12
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	Quote: Originally posted by Ed (sorry, I am feeling punchy for some reason) No problem, Ted.
uneasy Muse Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 504	__________________ Mud, Mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

3rd October 2003, 12:14 PM	#13
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	Quote: Originally posted by uneasy No problem, Ted.
Ed god Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 8,691	__________________ "The history of science is the record of dead religions" Phrases And Philosophies For The Use Of The Young Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Our Guarentee: One obscure (or not) Python reference per day.