Robert Burcher tries out a hand made leather Coracle boat on the Beaver River near his home in Slabtown. This was one of many experiments to test the possibility that his theory that Celts arrived in Canada in the Bronze Age.
Posted on 03/24/2010 1:55:24 AM PDT by Palter
A local man is out to change history.
Or, more specifically, suggest that there might be some changes required in Canada's history books, and give us more reason to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Robert Burcher, a photographer and enquiring mind living in Slabtown, has recently finished the manuscript for a book that represents 16 years of research, a basement full of resources and several trips around Ontario and Ireland.
His research was born in the Peterborough Petroglyphs. A vast expanse of rock carvings surrounded by conflicting interpretations and curious spectators.
Burcher was most intrigued by what looked like the image of a sailboat. He didn't think the natives ever used sailboats and wondered how they'd know to carve an image of one. Burcher said the sailboat image matched a Celtic ship used in the Bronze Age, made of leather and propelled by two sails.
Also at the Peterborough site he found an image of what looked like a person with a long skinny neck and a face made out of a sun. A fresh pair of eyes suggested that maybe it was someone playing a horn. Burcher found such a horn in Ireland, the Trumpa Creda, and the only man to play that horn in 300 years, Simon O'Dwyer.
Other glyphs, resembling upside down triangles with knobs on top, were passed off as images of Native gods, but Burcher suggests they are Amphorae - sealed clay pots that hung or were wedged in frames to keep liquids from spilling or pots from breaking open.
"It's all speculation," said Burcher, also referring to his ideas as "circumstantial evidence."
His theory is that the Celts came here from Ireland to Iceland and then to the Hudson Bay in search of Copper to make Bronze - an important commodity in the Bronze Age.
Not being a professional scientist or archaeologist, Burcher said his research wasn't limited to acceptable scientific method, which was freeing and damning at the same time.
He said he sometimes acted like a lawyer building a case or a police officer investigating a crime scene.
He did have some disappointments along the way. His self-led dig into the legendary Thornbury Mound - a site he believed was a Celtic burial ground - revealed that the unusually precise round hill was just dirt, and the dirt had never been touched.
He's kept going, though.
He said his researched sparked curiosity and interest. And his Celtic roots made it personal.
He said he's faced negative criticism from some professional archaeologists, but he still believes he has a story.
"I want to validate it," he said. "It's a sort of justice for ancient, perceived injustices ... the victors always write the history."
Burcher said there's more truths in Native stories than are credited to them, and he wants more people to take a second look at this history of the land.
"I hope the book gets published," said Burcher, adding that he may self-publish it. "I'll throw it out there and watch what comes back."
His dream is too the book picked up by the History or Discovery channel as a speculative series.
Robert Burcher tries out a hand made leather Coracle boat on the Beaver River near his home in Slabtown. This was one of many experiments to test the possibility that his theory that Celts arrived in Canada in the Bronze Age.
Petroglyphs Provincial Park[Wiki]
Peterborough Petroglyphs, Ontario
This petroglyph of a shaman is one of hundreds of ancient drawings
at Peterborough in Ontario, Canada. All photos © Lone Primate.
Petroglyphs of a shaman and snake (left) and of Nanabush the Trickster.
Petroglyph of a spirit boat.
Other assorted intriguing petroglyphs at Peterborough.
Of course, don't forget about West Virginia.
In cache, ping.
prisoner6
“For a good time, call Oooga Booga...”
Does it mean that the original discoverers get a deed to the entire new world and become lords and masters of the universe?
Just asking.
My bet is all of these drawings were done by kids with time on there hands. Scratching out a living with your hands is hard work and requires you to be vigilant during every waking hour.
Only kids get exempted from that at times. I can also imagine that adults wouldn’t have wasted there time with something that didn’t put meat on the table or furs on their backs.
I can see adults doing so. If you thought your furs and food depended on pleasing the gods and spirits you would take the time.
The great temples and cathedrals were built by folk living a hardscrabble existance.
"How many times have I told you kids, don't draw on the walls!!"
Actually, hunter-gatherers typically had lots of free time. Dawn-to-dawn backbreaking labor only came in with farming.
Saga America
by Barry Fell
find it in a nearby libraryBronze-Age America
by Barry Fell
find it in a nearby library
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Thanks Palter. If it doesn't work, I'm going to be singin' "The Cache Ain't Nothin' But Trash". ;') |
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· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists · |
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Nope.
"You are just spouting stuff you read in a book or heard in class room."
Yup, it's called "science". You should try it sometime, you might learn something. The lives of primitive hunter/gathers of both ancient and current times have been studied extensively, the first through archeaology, the second through sociology. There is no doubt about their lifestyles.
Hey, look, I’m just pissy right now cause of all the Obama shiite going on.
While I don’t buy everything “interpreted” about cave drawings, I’m certainly no expert.
I shouldn’t have rained on your parade. In the big picture, we are probably both on the same side on the important issues.
I’ll leave this thread. Sorry about being an ass.
Sincerely.
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