Miami Circle Gisela Ermel
Mysterious cult city holds its breath - speculation about strange "chance find" In: Mysteries, No. 8, March / April 2005, Basel 2005
summer of 1998. dig among picturesque skyscrapers and the blue sea of Biscayne Bay a few archaeologists and volunteers on a demolition site of the city of Miami in the earth for Indian artifacts.
Archaeological excavation site in Miami
The excavators, led by Robert Carr, director of the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Division will not be disappointed. Numerous fragments of pottery, charred wood fragments, beads, animal bones, flints, and much more they can carry the light of day. But then it's over with the rest.
On one of those halcyon days that is making Ted Riggs - amateur archeologist and former residents of the apartment building from the late 50s here demolished had been - an unexpected find. Just in the place where you want to create a hyper-modern two-tower high-rise complex, he found some strange rectangular holes in the limestone bedrock.
Riggi supported. These holes were actually arranged like a bow? If they form a large circle around a whole? After he made his "bosses" on the discovery of attention, a shovel his metal claws digging into the ground, had always taken along the red line, the rigs with fluorescent paint.
feverishly working on it and comes across a strange 12 meter diameter circle measured from about 20 to 30 more or less rectangular holes.
heritage of a lost people? What we had as excavated? Who had created these holes? Natural or man-made? Did you do the remains of a mysterious prehistoric monument found? Perhaps even the legacy of a lost people?
Ted Riggs was later in interviews, keep telling him what was then going through your mind: "That looks like a negative instead of Stonehenge stone pillars - holes!"
Mysterious Fund: circle of holes in the limestone bedrock
The archaeologists did what they always do when they make a puzzling discovery: contact by phone, fax and internet all of their colleagues around the world to exchange views with them on whether it had ever been somewhere gegehen a similar or identical Fund. Results: There was no comparison.
In winter 1999, it was definitely with the rest at the excavation site over, when Ted Riggs addressed the media. On 20 December cabled the TV channel CNN the message in all the world: "Mysterious stone circle on the banks of the Miami River dug!"
The archaeologists, it was said, were divided about the origin and meaning of this mysterious Stone Circle. The assumption that, due to the artifacts found to do rather with an old Tequesta Indian settlement, have moved more and more into the background.
aligned astronomically Instead, soon made another round of speculation. The Cirlce is a calendar of astronomical sky! Ted Riggs explorers have found that the circle had been created in North-South direction and the holes were once well-include stone pillars. The plant was in his opinion, the Maya once served as an observatory, read it soon after the "Miami Herald".
Ted Rigg's Mayan theory appeared in several newspapers
The media reports mobilized the whole city. Were particularly interested in reporters for two stone axes, which were found in the Circle. Axes, as was known otherwise only from the Maya of Central America.
Soon onlookers flocked in droves to the excavation site at Brickell Point. Every day seemed self-proclaimed experts with new theories, tourists, businessmen and office workers from the nearby high-rises. Even high school students showed up - with the desire to help or the least bit sun-darkened "Relic Hunter" watch at work.
The overwhelming enthusiasm eventually received a painful shock, as most of the "Miami Herald" 17 January 1999 declared: "Past is in danger!"
Only now it was revealed that within a few weeks, the bulldozers of the property owner the "American Stonehenge", as it had already been baptized a few busybodies, would bulldoze.
Neither the landowners nor the City of Miami seemed willing or able to stop the bulldozers. In an act of despair tried a hired by archaeologists sculptor, to make a cast of the formation while was at his side, and the excavators been speculated excited about an ancient UFO landing pad, as well as about Mayan Indians, or about sacred Indian temple.
visitors to the enthusiastically plundered Plaztes the waste pile to take souvenirs. The press reveled in headlines and enthused: "America's youngest metropolis, a city without history, has now suddenly an older and more interesting story than anyone ever dared imagine!" The archaeologists had to get used to the interviewed, filmed and photographed to be.
Final was the world famous Miami Circle in late January 1999 when the popular radio show by Art Bell on the "American Stonehenge" and reports that ushered in a battle to save the plant.
The bombardment of calls, faxes and e-mails angry Circle savior was overwhelming. When then did another Delegation of Seminole Indians visited the excavation site, let the property owner to shut off the excavation site with a fence. Before that was cursed, meditated, prayed and watched - very Miami seemed to be on his feet. counter
The logo of the "Save the Circle" campaign
To this mass of assumptions, theories, observations and speculation, was in February 1999 convened a meeting, make known to the archaeologists their findings and opinions should. Prior to the last one standing room occupied room and a forest of cameras and microphones archaeologist Richard Carr first tried once to describe the circle.
sketch of the Miami Circle
He pointed out that, in and around the main circle of hundreds, apparently randomly distributed small holes were found. All of these holes had obviously been created with prehistoric tools. What is most remarkable, however, was the perfect arrangement of the main round holes.
euphoria and restraint
What had once served all the holes? And how old were they? As one listener pointed out to the astronomical alignment of the holes, Ted Riggs was in his element. The circle is - is evidence of four very large and deep holes that go beyond the normal circle edge - directed cardinal, and also marked a series of small holes in a point on the horizon, which refers to a midsummer date.
Archaeologists themselves held back with their opinions. You still have to inaccurate and too little data. Instead, they reported the Tequesta Indians, who had been in the "Miami Herald" already presented as "the lost people of Florida".
was remarkable that they had not yet found anything yet that the Tequesta Indians were made of stone. Even had the two stone axes from the Circle "introduced" have been, because the necessary equipment for this purpose it was only in distant areas.
Could the Tequesta be so general was the architect of the Circle? Or had they found the Circle and then only used for ceremonial purposes? Also relevant is, according to Robert Carr explained that the Tequesta had practiced no agriculture. So why would an astronomical calendar - when was the Circle at all because of - to serve?
How old was it but now the circle? Robert Carr announced at the meeting that the artifacts found reference to a time before 1000 to 2000 years - but that say nothing about the origin of the circle.
26.7 million U.S. dollars!
On 29 September 1999 surprised the "Miami Herald" his readers with the message, finally, that the property owner and the County had to agree to a purchase price: 26.7 million - over a million dollars a Circle-Hole!
The Miami Circle, in the background the statue of a Tequesta Indians on a column
There was still not clear what the Circle, then, was sent a team of state archaeologists to Miami. And so in October 1999, excavations began under Dr. Ryan Wheeler of the University of Florida. With modern equipment on one side and altbwährter muscle force on the other should the puzzle are revealed finally to the Circle.
Mechanical auger blade and special drills were used as well as a radar device that had to search for underground features and should identify where the earth still slumbered other surprises.
increasing number of small holes were discovered and more and more artifacts come to light which have all been dated to an approximate age of 1500 to 2000 years.
After the Circle was now saved, returned to the excavation site at last quiet again. No TV helicopter, no more Reporter schools - the public's interest waned gradually. However, new theories have been proposed. For example, maintains an archaeologist, all the holes were once been post holes for piles, grouped around the chief House - the Circle.
New tourist attraction
War solved the mystery of the Miami Circle with it? But here was no American "Stonehenge", no modern sewage system, as skeptics speculated and no UFO landing site, as others had hoped for? Nothing was clear - everything is open. The plant was saved, but not its mystery solved.
is now the Miami Circle as self-evident to the tourists attractions like a trip to the Everglades. Since the beginning of 2003 can finally admire the excavated artifacts. The Historical Museum of the city they are proud to announce visitors.
The Miami Circle - a never ending story? Still take to the research. And so the circle of what he was from the beginning: a puzzle of facts, Hypthesen, conjecture and speculation.
more:
Gisela Ermel
Mysterious Miami Circle
On the trail of an archaeological mystery
Bohmeier-Verlag, Leipzig 2003
ISBN 3-89094-400-0
86 pages, with illustrations
Content:
Summer 1998: The discovery
Winter 1998/1999: The sensational news
February 1999: The first meeting of the Circle, The Tequesta
February 1999: First emergency plans and a radio experiment
February 1999: The Steinmetz action
February 1999: Demonstrations and speculation
February / March 1999: A first small victory
April 1999: The sewage plant scandal
Summer 1999: The Circle - a prehistoric astronomical system?
Intermezzo I: American Stonehenge
Summer 1999: The basalt axes - The end of the Mayan theory?
Intermezzo II: The Circle is saved: the fantastic Moundbuilder
Autumn 1999: The "spittoon" theory
Fall / Winter 1999!
2000: New excavations and even a theory
2001 to today: New plans, new finds and tourists everyday
