BajaNomad - Historical items found in Baja

I have photos of those bows - it was in 1994, and we all swore we'd leave them there. I scanned them but don't know how to turn pdf into jpg. Took photos of the photos, but postimage and photobucket aren't working. I'm so technochallenged.

https://pdf2jpg.net/

David K - 9-12-2017 at 09:13 PM

[Edited on 9-13-2017 by David K]

[Edited on 8-26-2021 by BajaNomad]

wilderone - 9-13-2017 at 07:14 AM

Thank you for helping me out with these, David - always so helpful.

David K - 9-13-2017 at 08:44 AM

The pleasure is mine, Cindi!
Keep up the good history posting and protecting!

BigBearRider - 9-13-2017 at 09:29 AM

What was the thought process in deciding to leave the bows where they were found?

Are those the same bows that the Ensenada couple referenced having found?

woody with a view - 9-13-2017 at 09:58 AM

That cave is so shallow its a wonder the wood survived very long.

wilderone - 9-13-2017 at 10:52 AM

"What was the thought process in deciding to leave the bows where they were found?"
I believe this was a second trip to the location after they had been discovered (exactly by whom, not sure) on a previous trip. On this trip, there were about 8 people - we all hiked and climbed to the location, retrieved them for all to see, and put them back. At camp it was discussed that they should be left in situ I think because they didn't "belong" to anyone in the group, and now since so many knew they were there - which individual would have a right to claim them? It was several years later when I heard that they were donated to the Ensenada museum (didn't know that one was kept - by whom I don't know - I was no longer in contact with this group). Obviously a decision was made and another trip ensued. One person close to the group was an employee of the San Diego Museum of Man - she possibly had some influence in the museum donation. The bows were further back in the crevice and well protected. They were high in a cerro of rock ledges and boulders - I don't know who discovered them first or why he/she was climbing around in that area. I have to think that since these were found in the Laguna Salada area, around the time referenced, and there were 2 bows, and I heard about the donation at the Ensenada museum, that these are the same as referenced.

BigBearRider - 9-13-2017 at 10:59 AM

Thanks for the reply, Wilderon.

Very interesting. I would think that wooden bows are a very rare find in the desert.

I'm going to go look at the bow at the museum in Ensenada some time. Does anyone know where the museum is?

del mar - 9-13-2017 at 11:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider

Thanks for the reply, Wilderon.

Very interesting. I would think that wooden bows are a very rare find in the desert.

I'm going to go look at the bow at the museum in Ensenada some time. Does anyone know where the museum is?

the north end of the Riviera

MexicoTed - 9-13-2017 at 08:46 PM

Sounds like the same bows, but the man and woman I spoke with said they were rock climbers going to Canyon Tajo who were on a trip during Y2K (2000) frenzy. They weren't rock climbing at the time, just exploring canyons. Maybe they stumbled upon your bows.

BigBearRider - 9-14-2017 at 08:04 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider

the north end of the Riviera

Thank you! I know the place. I think I have been in the "lobby," but cannot recall if I have gone inside.

wilderone - 9-14-2017 at 08:06 AM

Ted, that's an interesting twist. Given where the bows were - high up on the rocky mountain - would seem a very odd coincidence that they were found AGAIN (6 yrs. after the 1994 discovery) after a couple hundred years of being hidden in the crevice. I don't remember who told me the bows were donated to Ensenada, but I understood them to be the 1994 bows. More bows?

David K - 9-14-2017 at 08:08 AM

Ted, that's an interesting twist. Given where the bows were - high up on the rocky mountain - would seem a very odd coincidence that they were found AGAIN (6 yrs. after the 1994 discovery) after a couple hundred years of being hidden in the crevice. I don't remember who told me the bows were donated to Ensenada, but I understood them to be the 1994 bows. More bows?

Was the 1994 cave near Tajo Canyon?

Pescador - 9-14-2017 at 08:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Good news .....but if any Nomads found the small pack I lost with 2 cameras, chargers, batteries, and other goodies on the road up to San Javier....please don't give them to a museum.... :biggrin:

Don't worry Ged, we turned them over to the Antiquities Protection Department.

BajaBlanca - 9-14-2017 at 08:46 AM

The museum in La Paz has a wonderful collection of artifacts.

Bows in Baja - verrrrrrrrrrrrrry cool.

wilderone - 9-14-2017 at 09:28 AM

"Was the 1994 cave near Tajo Canyon"
No - it was about 7 miles So. slightly SE of Canon de Guadalupe. I have a source that indicates there was a trip in Feb. 1995 (a year after the Mar. '94 trip when photos were taken) to the bow site. This might be the trip when they were removed, or maybe just another trip to observe (SD Museum of Man person along on this trip) and were left alone (?). There are several canyons in the area - one could easily get in and out of 2 or 3 of them in a day. Would be fun to see if they're still there or not.

Skipjack Joe - 9-14-2017 at 09:38 AM

I always thought native bows would be smaller and cruder than these. Was it ever confirmed that these were native bows?

On the other hand, who else would possibly have a bow in that area.

motoged - 9-14-2017 at 09:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Pescador

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Good news .....but if any Nomads found the small pack I lost with 2 cameras, chargers, batteries, and other goodies on the road up to San Javier....please don't give them to a museum.... :biggrin:

Don't worry Ged, we turned them over to the Antiquities Protection Department.

Whew ... I had worried they weren't being fully appreciated.... :biggrin:

MexicoTed - 9-14-2017 at 02:04 PM

This sounds like a potential Baja Nomad trip to see if the bows are still there? Anyone want to organize?

David K - 9-14-2017 at 03:26 PM

"Was the 1994 cave near Tajo Canyon"
No - it was about 7 miles So. slightly SE of Canon de Guadalupe. I have a source that indicates there was a trip in Feb. 1995 (a year after the Mar. '94 trip when photos were taken) to the bow site. This might be the trip when they were removed, or maybe just another trip to observe (SD Museum of Man person along on this trip) and were left alone (?). There are several canyons in the area - one could easily get in and out of 2 or 3 of them in a day. Would be fun to see if they're still there or not.

Thanks. There is a lot of pottery pieces at the base of the mountain just outside Guadalupe Canyon... and of course the petroglyphs a few miles south in Vibora Canyon: http://vivabaja.com/108/

Rossman - 9-15-2017 at 02:28 AM

I have an acquaintance here in Asuncion, a local, who spends time on the beaches near Asuncion with both a metal detector and a framed screen for sifting sand. He showed me his collection of things he has found and as you can imagine there are a lot of Canadian and US coins to go along with the Mexican and Spanish coins but one find was very interesting. He found a bronze Roman coin that was in good enough shape to identify the era that it was minted. This particular coin was minted approximately 375 BC. Sure would like to hear the story of how that ended up on the beach in San Roque.

motoged - 9-15-2017 at 09:32 AM

..... This particular coin was minted approximately 375 BC. Sure would like to hear the story of how that ended up on the beach in San Roque.

WOW

That is certainly worth an explanation....booty from a galleon...or what....????

The history and theories of human migration/exploration are challenged from time to time....recently read one person's view that the Bering Sea landbridge may not have been a primary route for Asian migration to the Americas due to fact the Ice Age remnants would not have allowed food foraging....

del mar - 9-15-2017 at 09:39 AM

I have an acquaintance here in Asuncion, a local, who spends time on the beaches near Asuncion with both a metal detector and a framed screen for sifting sand. He showed me his collection of things he has found and as you can imagine there are a lot of Canadian and US coins to go along with the Mexican and Spanish coins but one find was very interesting. He found a bronze Roman coin that was in good enough shape to identify the era that it was minted. This particular coin was minted approximately 375 BC. Sure would like to hear the story of how that ended up on the beach in San Roque.

was that or the spanish coins worth some dough?

David K - 9-15-2017 at 10:15 AM

was that or the spanish coins worth some dough?

"It belongs in a museum!"

(a quote from Indiana Jones)

shari - 9-15-2017 at 12:17 PM

San Roque has many stories of gold dubloons falling out of the sand bank after storms and as well have been found on San Roque Island. This little secret cove is hidden by the island from the sea so it is thought that the Spanish pirates would hide in there and zoom out when a ship passed and pillage it and hide the treasures in San Roque....several treasures have been hauled out of there and there were dozens of big holes where people dug to look....lots of folklore tales there and ghost stories....the ghost of the slaves the pirates killed to guard their treasures!

David K - 9-15-2017 at 12:49 PM

I think many pirates were Dutch or English who raided Spanish ships for those gold or silver coins.

Rossman - 9-15-2017 at 07:50 PM

was that or the spanish coins worth some dough?

I actually did research that on the Roman coin and was surprised of the number that were for sale. It is all about condition and I am no expert in grading coins but most sell for under 50 bucks.

willardguy - 9-15-2017 at 08:35 PM