Photos by My Sweet Amy and Myself...
Current Creek 6 foot monument in 2003
On 6/13/2015 I revisited an old site that I had made it to
about 12 years ago.
The site is located on the outskirts of the Uinta Mountains
in the area of Current Creek
Utah
In the last 12 years however I have learned enough about
Lichenometry to at least make a determination of the age of monuments give or
take 50 years. This knowledge came through my friend Steven Shaffer who's
brother Boyd Shaffer a biologist, is one of the leading authorities on
Lichenometry.
"In archaeology, palaeontology, and geomorphology, lichenometry is a geomorphic method of geochronologic dating that uses lichen growth to determine the age of exposed rock,"
The
simple explanation as it pertains to Xanthoria elegans,
commonly known as the elegant sunburst lichen or what I call Crustose lichen, is
that the growth rate of a single spore would be equal to the size of a dime
would be equal to about 100 years give or take 10 years. It is understood in
Lichenometry that if a rock used to build a monument having Crustose Lichen
already growing on the rock, is picked up and rotated in any direction more
than 15 degrees from its former position, the Lichen will die and new spores
will begin to grow.
Crustose Lichen on the 12 foot monument, diameter of a 50 cent piece
Without
a doubt in visiting 7 of the monuments along the high ridge, they are indeed
NOT of recent manufacture as supposed but the many skeptics due to the lack of
education and seeming intended Ignored history in Utah . The lichen growth according to what I
have been taught by Steven, and by his brother Boyd, these monuments visited
yesterday having spore growth ranging from Quarter size to 50 cent piece size,
were likely constructed approximately 200 or more years ago in the later 18th
century to early 19th century. I am left with no doubt they were
built by Spanish Expeditions into the mountains of Utah , and at a time prior to Escalante and
for the purpose of Mining.
The 12 Foot Monument today and looking down the Current Creek Drainage
Spring Flowers
What else was I able to ascertain from these monuments that
I was unable to 12 years ago? Not much, however what little I was able to see,
that I had not eyes to see 12 years ago, was in that the large monument was no
doubt intended to be seen from an approaching expedition party from the East
traveling UP the Current Creek drainage. I call these types of Monuments, Icon
Monuments, designed to be informational and to be spotted from long distances.
It is common if not expected that from an Icon Monument
I also discovered that one of the monuments gives direction
to an active mining location of the past where in 3 mines of significance is
located. Also in the same direction and about 4 miles across the canyon, is
another seeming Icon
Monument
One of the monuments which I believe would have shed much
light, unfortunately has been destroyed by what appears to have been
snowmobilers or some one using 3 feet of the top portion of a 6 foot monument for making a
fire ring. Other monuments which have not been previously destroyed, remained
as they were 12 years ago.
The Six Foot Monument today
Until I have been able to visit 3 more distance sites, I am
certain I cannot further evaluate the purpose or meaning of those visited on
this trip. I had hoped to confirm at least one Turtle Monument
