I've been there and seen those people, those people in Blairsville.
They're not Mayan.

Um, no it is not a possibility.

Thornton declares that an area near Brasstown Bald is "possibly the site of the fabled city of Yupaha, which Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto failed to find in 1540, and (is) certainly one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent times."

Thornton uses Williams' research on Indian mounds and the studies of archaeologist Johannes Loubser, who excavated the north Georgia site, to bolster his claims.

Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

Williams' reaction brought forth legions of bloggers and Internet experts calling him "arrogant" and "dismissive."

"That's the way with the Internet," said Williams, who was weary of the matter when reached last week for an interview. "There's a feeling that people are hiding the truth. Someone needed to stand up and say, 'This is silly.' "

Thornton says it could have been made by the Mayans. He came to this conclusion based on work down by Williams.......even though Williams has said that there is absolutely no chance that the Mayans were in North Georgia.

This isn't a story about a archelogical find. Its the story about a out of work architect with a over active imagination pissing off archelogists.

Damn illegal immigrants. They took our jobs.

I'm gonna go ahead and agree with the guy who says this is complete bunk. Hokum, so to speak.

I'm not gonna say it was Mayans...

But it was Mayans.

(Fill in the pic yourself.)

Rev. Skarekroe: Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

He's probably right. But that condescending attitude is why people don't like to listen to legitimate scientists about things like that.

Yeah maybe, but I don't think legitimate scientists should have to be polite to idiots so as to not come off as condescending.

"Hey man - is that Vagina Rock?"

"Yeah man!"

"Well turn it up man!!!"

What, did they find bison-powered lawn mowers?

Rev. Skarekroe: Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

He's probably right. But that condescending attitude is why people don't like to listen to legitimate scientists about things like that.

Yes, trained scientists telling conspiracy theorists and untrained, unemployed former architects that they're misinterpreting his work in a way unsupported by evidence is condescending.

Elitism! It's what's destroying amuuuuuurca, by gawd.

It's not like Mayans are extinct. There are lots of them all over the Yucutan.

Rev. Skarekroe: Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

He's probably right. But that condescending attitude is why people don't like to listen to legitimate scientists about things like that.

So, calling a turd a turd is condescending?

Given how crotchety scientists can be (especially about their own work), I think he was pretty nice about it.

Your place or Mayan?

The Mayans didn't go anywhere. They stayed right where they were, they just stopped building cool stuff because other tribes surpassed them. Their descendants are still in Central America where they lived 1200 years ago.

But after the conquistadors showed up, Mayan culture never again reached the importance it once had.

Please don't tell the Mormons
Please don't tell the Mormons
Please don't tell the Mormons
Please don't tell the Mormons
Please don't tell the Mormons

Presence of ancient residents in North Georgia?

Could happen!



/woot!

Nay! Am I Mayan?

Rev. Skarekroe: Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

He's probably right. But that condescending attitude is why people don't like to listen to legitimate scientists about things like that.

That wasn't condescending.

Had he said:

"Look you little pissant shiat, thinking the fabled Mayan city is north of Buckhead may be the stupidest idea since radioactive shoe sizers. Go back to your life of copying someone else's mini-mall blueprints and leave science to people with more than a room-temperature IQ. I've shiat things with a better grasp of history and archaeological reality."

That would have been condescending.

Rock structures like these are found up and down the appalachias. Some dated as far back to the time of the Clovis people I believe, who came well before the mayans. I have personally assisted in the cataloguing of miles of "walls" in WV (later destroyed by strip mining) and I have visited some in NC as well. No one really knows what they were for or who exactly built them. An historic roadside marker was erected pointing out the site after we had catalogued some of the largest known in the state.


My guess is that it's not the mayans....

HailRobonia: It's not like Mayans are extinct. There are lots of them all over the Yucutan.

I know quite a few.
They are always amazed when I say, You're Myan, aren't you?
Then they beam.

Beware the man who brings the jaguar.

2KanZam: Rock structures like these are found up and down the appalachias. Some dated as far back to the time of the Clovis people I believe, who came well before the mayans. I have personally assisted in the cataloguing of miles of "walls" in WV (later destroyed by strip mining) and I have visited some in NC as well. No one really knows what they were for or who exactly built them. An historic roadside marker was erected pointing out the site after we had catalogued some of the largest known in the state.


My guess is that it's not the mayans....

Maybe the little people of Stonehenge.

Jake Havechek


But after the conquistadors showed up, Mayan culture never again reached the importance it once had.

It's better to burn out than to fade away.

Architect/historian/author Richard Thornton

Architect/marine biologist/latex salesman George Costanza

SubBass49: [www.ajc.com image 204x153]

"Hey man - is that Vagina Rock?"

"Yeah man!"

"Well turn it up man!!!"

Whoa! I forgot about Freedom Rock.

Rapmaster2000: Architect/historian/author Richard Thornton

Architect/marine biologist/latex salesman George Costanza

Dentist/lawyer/real estate agent Orly Taitz

/even if it's true, it might not mean much

"Thornton, reached this week at his home near the site, dismisses his dismissals.."*

*Those Responsible for Sacking the People Who Have Just Been Sacked, Have Been Sacked..

/..

2KanZam: Rock structures like these are found up and down the appalachias. Some dated as far back to the time of the Clovis people I believe, who came well before the mayans. I have personally assisted in the cataloguing of miles of "walls" in WV (later destroyed by strip mining) and I have visited some in NC as well. No one really knows what they were for or who exactly built them. An historic roadside marker was erected pointing out the site after we had catalogued some of the largest known in the state.


My guess is that it's not the mayans....

I wonder if this is involved (new window). (WARNING! shiatTY WEBSITE!)

Pinner: Maybe the little people of Stonehenge.

Mystery Hill Link (new window)

There's been other Stonehenge-like sites, but European colonists confiscated the stones for their own uses.

Shore has got a purty design.

SubBass49: [www.ajc.com image 204x153]

"Hey man - is that Vagina Rock?"

"Yeah man!"

"Well turn it up man!!!"

farking laughed

Guys, remember this guy is an architect, which means he probably assumes that all construction is entirely based on artistic and cultural communication. So anything remotely pyramidal must be related... it's not as if a pile of stones that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top is could possibly be an engineering feature.

Will they serve chicken pizza?

/obscure

airsupport: 2KanZam: Rock structures like these are found up and down the appalachias. Some dated as far back to the time of the Clovis people I believe, who came well before the mayans. I have personally assisted in the cataloguing of miles of "walls" in WV (later destroyed by strip mining) and I have visited some in NC as well. No one really knows what they were for or who exactly built them. An historic roadside marker was erected pointing out the site after we had catalogued some of the largest known in the state.


My guess is that it's not the mayans....

I wonder if this is involved (new window). (WARNING! shiatTY WEBSITE!)



I have not heard of that....BUT it looks very similar to one that is just outside of South Point Ohio....Leo Petroglyph. Last time I visited it (about one year ago) it seemed to have had a really hard ten years, stuff is getting harder to see.

I always guessed these were just common points through which people traveled, maybe these were signs, stories or just "Chief Green Mallard wuz here" type grafitti.

There is another one in Charleston WV that really seemed to be just that.....a pretty overlook viewed atop of a set of "tea table" rock structures. There is a petroglyph of what appears to be a wolf (later vandalized to look like a dinosaur) and many other historic notables....the most interesting of which was the name "Daniel Boone"....and it just so happens to overlook the place he once called home along the Kanawha River.

/CSB
//Archy amature from a long line of real-life Indiana Jones's

Born_Again_Bavarian: Um, no it is not a possibility.

Thornton declares that an area near Brasstown Bald is "possibly the site of the fabled city of Yupaha, which Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto failed to find in 1540, and (is) certainly one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent times."

Thornton uses Williams' research on Indian mounds and the studies of archaeologist Johannes Loubser, who excavated the north Georgia site, to bolster his claims.

Williams couldn't disagree more. "This is total and complete bunk," Williams wrote on Facebook. "There is no evidence of Maya in Georgia. Move along now."

Williams' reaction brought forth legions of bloggers and Internet experts calling him "arrogant" and "dismissive."

"That's the way with the Internet," said Williams, who was weary of the matter when reached last week for an interview. "There's a feeling that people are hiding the truth. Someone needed to stand up and say, 'This is silly.' "

Thornton says it could have been made by the Mayans. He came to this conclusion based on work down by Williams.......even though Williams has said that there is absolutely no chance that the Mayans were in North Georgia.

This isn't a story about a archelogical find. Its the story about a out of work architect with a over active imagination pissing off archelogists.

FTA:"I'm not an archaeologist. I'm a big picture man," said Thorton

I'd say more troll-like than anything else.

It wouldn't change the NBA too much if the Atlanta Hawks had to be sacrificed every time they won a game.

I've seen the Trackrock. It's pretty cool. But what we have here is an amateur who insists that the Trackrock and the numerous rock cairns in the area are of Mayan origin and a venerable professor of archeology who says that's bunk. I think I'll go with the archeologist on this one, especially since the cairns in the area are already known to be of Cherokee origin and that Brasstown Bald (aka Mount Enota) was, like all southern bald mountains, was a sacred place to the Cherokee, who had a town at the foot of the mountain for centuries.

If the Mayans left Central America for North America, why would they end up in the middle of the Cherokee Nation? The Cherokee would not suffer Creek incursions into their territory, so why would they allow the Mayans? And why is there no evidence of Mayan culture to be found anywhere else in the Southeast?

OldManDownDRoad: There's a lot of stuff like that in NC, from one end of the state to another. Even early European explorers like Taverner and Lawson remark that the Tucarorans and Saponi had legends of an earlier civilization that, apparently, vanished. There have been some recent digs in the Chocowinity area of a town with approx. 20 large buildings that may have been the destination of the "lost" colonists of Roanoke. That town, too, vanished leaving little behind.

As for the experts - I recently had an archeologist at UNC tell me there were no native settlements in southern Orange County. This despite the ample evidence of early European settlers and the fact that several families descended from the Eno still live in the area. So, I guess it all goes back to Tuchman's Law: it's not what you know, but how fast you can look it up.

Manly Wade Wellman's Shonokins were supposed to based on some of those legends.