COINTEST! (my First)

[+Highland Horde]

so here it is...

I started caching in September of 2009. I found my way to the forums and learned a lot. I entered a few cointests and won a couple geocoins. It was a great feeling to get those coins in the mail especially as a noob. Now I want to pass that feeling along. But I am going to make you work for it.

Lets see who can dig up the most interesting local history (local to where you live or where you are from). It would be preferred if it can be (loosely) related to geocaching but not necessary. The cointest will end August 15 at 10pm Atlantic Daylight Time.

This is the story behind the coin that will be the prize.

 

Two Centuries of DNF in Nova Scotia!

In 1795, 34-year-old Daniel McGinnis discovered a circular depression in a clearing on the southeastern end of the island with an adjacent tree which had a tackle block on one of its overhanging branches. McGinnis, with the help of friends, excavated the depression and discovered a layer of flagstones a few feet below. As they dug down they discovered layers of logs at about every ten feet. They abandoned the excavation at 30 feet.

For 213 years treasure hunters have sought to unravel the secret of the pit. Floods, booby traps, deaths and mysterious inscriptions have fueled speculation over what riches might be hidden here, and who might have hidden it. Even President Franklin Roosevelt became part of an exploration group, and kept up with news and developments for most of his life.

Theories about who created the money pit are just about as plentiful as the groups who have tried to find it. Some say it holds the pirate treasure of Henry "Long Ben" Every, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, or even William "Captain" Kidd. Others believe it is naval treasure hidden by Spanish sailors, or by British troops during the American revolution. Some say it was constructed by French army engineers to hold the treasury of Fortress Louisbourg during the French and Indian War. Still more fanciful theories say it contains the lost jewels of Marie Antoinette; proof that Francis Bacon penned all the plays of William Shakespeare; or even the final hiding place constructed by exiled Knights Templar for the Holy Grail.

 

 

The coin is new. Not activated.

 

I will chose the winner based on my personal opinion of the story or if I cannot decide, a random selection.

You can post as many times as you like.

Let the history lessons begin.

 

(edited for clarity....sorta)

Edited July 12, 2010 by Highland Horde

[+drneal]

probably a dumb question, but nova scotia local history or the town/area we hail from?

 

ILYK

[+Highland Horde]

sorry...where you are from...or where you now live if it isnt the same...

[+GoldBugGirl]

Your story about McGinnis' excavation site reminds me of "The Gold-Bug", Edgar Allan Poe's short story about treasure hunting. (That's where I got my geonick.) Love the coin--maybe I'll try to research some local history & enter the cointest!

[+drneal]

I was born, and returned to my hometown of Saint Marys, PA.

 

Perhaps the most important landmark of historical signigfigance in the community is St. Joseph's Monastery, home to the Benedictine Sisters of Elk County which is the oldest Benedictine women's religious order in the United States.

 

The monastery was founded in 1852, when Sister Benedicta Riepp and two companions arrived from St. Walburga Abbey in Eichstätt, Bavaria. They had come at the invitation of Rev. Boniface Wimmer, who had determined a need in the small town heavily populated with Bavarian Roman Catholic immigrants for religious presence and support, as well as an opportunity for the sisters to teach the children of these immigrants.

 

From these beginnings, and as the community grew, so too did the mission and size of the Sisters expand: it branched from being the first women's Benedictine Order in the United States to having over fifty monasteries who can trace their roots back to this historic community. Indeed, this monastery can be considered the backbone of the Congregation of St. Scholastica, which received its approbation in 1922 (later renamed the Federation of St. Scholastica in 1974). At that time, it consisted of ten houses in seven states; now, it encompasses 22 monasteries in 15 states and Mexico.

 

The Convent remains a working convent, a place where you can see the sisters running their own store, or outside driving backhoes.

 

I recently archived geocache "AGT-Elk, In Honor of The First In The US," after the cache was stolen

 

St. Marys is also home to Decker's Chapel, a historic chapel, built in 1856 and is a one story gable-end oriented and clapboard clad wood frame structure. It measures 12 feet by 18 feet and contains a single, plastered room. It features a rectangular steeple with an open belfry capped with a cross tipped, pyramidal roof. Also on the property is a granite commemorative marker dedicated in 1928 to Monsignor Michael Joseph Decker.

 

Decker's Chapel remains one of the smallest chapels in America.

 

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

 

Decker's Chapel is home to geocache, "Smallest In America" - GCK0F6.

 

Another landmark in St. Marys is the Straub Brewery was founded in 1872 by Peter P. Straub of Felldorf, Württemberg, who purchased the Benzinger Spring Brewery (founded by Captain Charles C. Volk in 1855) from his father-in-law, Francis Xavier Sorg. The Straub Brewery in St. Marys has brewed beer continuously since 1872. The Straub Brewery is one of the oldest breweries in the United States and one of the few still owned by the original founding family. It is also the smallest pre-Prohibition brewery still in business in the United States. Tours are available, as is a free beer from the "Eternal Tap," just be sure to wash your own glass!

 

Geocache "America's Natural Choice" was archived In Aug. of 2008.

 

ILYK

[+GATOULIS]

Oh boy!!!!

 

Please tell me that we can post as many times as we can!!!

 

there are many stories for my island! Ancient, medieval, WWII stories...

Even in greek mythology there are some parts for Rhodes!

 

I also know many WWII stories (and 3 that are not ) for Leros island that is in Dodecanese too, and It is my second island! My mother is from there so I go very often! Of course... since I am not living there... I think I cann ot post them....

 

But... for Rhodes..... right now I have about 11-12 stories.....

I am afraid they are not a lot...caching related because I am alone here!

In the online geocacher magazine, I posted some stories of adventures that happent to me while geocaching but they are not stories of my island! they are just personal!

 

Now... the "where you are from"... you mean the area we live and not about the country general... otherwise.... I really do not know from where to start! Greece has so many stories... and many are unknown!!!

 

I will post tomorrow because today I am so tired! we were out and...

[+goosefraba1]

Most of my history lessons (good history that is... looking directly at history... not just at pages) came from my great uncle Larry. He was a quirky man who liked his cigars, his baseball cards, and his adventures to find indian relics in the Appalachians. When I was young, my uncle Larry would take me to find arrowheads and indian pottery in seldom hunted fields near the banks of the Ohio river. This is probably where I gained my fondness for the past. He took me to see the indian mounds of Serpent Mound and the great horseshoe mound. He showed me that there used to be a massive mound in New Boston, Ohio that was so large that it gapped the Ohio river and ended on the banks of the Kentucky side of the river. These were just some of his meager accomplishments of entertaining a young boy's obsession. His greatest find, though was on his own.

 

My uncle Larry was excavating a cave in Carter County, Kentucky looking for ceremonial spear tips and some bones when he stumbled across a very old, decaying box. The box could have been well over 100 years old. Of course, he was curious and had to open it then and there. What he found inside was what looked to be a slate mask. It was in mint condition. He knew that he had found something special. Uncle Larry took the mask to a Native American artifacts show. He wanted further explanation of what the mask could be. He was told that the slate mask could be the most pristine conditioned slate mask ever found. It is thought that the mask was abandoned... or left as commemoration to ancestors before the Cherokee were forced to abandon their land in the 1830's and 1840's. He was immediately offered a sum of $10,000 for it. Being wise, my uncle kept the mask and purchased a small vault for it.

 

My uncle passed away about 12 years ago. I will always remember the adventures that we held together. I know that he would loved geocaching and coining.... because he basically those hobbies anyway. The mask is still kept by his son. It is occasionally showed in local museums.

 

The mask looks similar to the upper left mask. Sorry that I don't have any pictures of it handy.

Edited July 12, 2010 by goosefraba1

[paganfrog]

caithness is situated in the far north of the scottish highlands. the terrain is mostly flat and open and that means the weather can be harsh as the wind can whistle across the land biting through your clothing, chilling you to the bone.

 

so just think back to the time of the highland clearances that were done by the rich landowners of sutherland. around the end of the 18th century tenant farmers and their families were evisted from their homes so that the landowners could use the land for sheep farming which had become much more profitable for them. the displaced people with no place to go, went northwards into caithness.

one such clearance settlement was the village of badbea. being a settlement on the clifftop made it a very hard and dangerous existance for the people there. the clifftop sloped steeply towards the sea allowing the wind to become gale force. as a result of this, children and animals had to be tethered to prevent them from being blown off the cliffs.

the land was very poor to sustain anything more than just a few small animals and a small vegetable plot for each family. as a result of this, the men as lifelong farmers had to turn to herring fishing in a very dangerous coastline.

the village of badbea died in 1911 when the last occupant emigrated to new zealand. a monument was built from the stones of the old homes to commemorate all the people who had lived in badbea.

[paganfrog]

i also wanted to say thanks for the cointest, i love reading historical info like this. love the geocoin prize, i have always been interested in the oak island money pit, its always fascinated me

[+GATOULIS]

Ok..I will post one of the stories about Rhodes I have plenty to post!

 

this is from Mythology of Greece and of Rhodes! the strange is that even if it is mythology... everything is connected! I mean everything not only of local stories but every story in mythology of greece! in some places you can even see ruins that are connected to the story! ...and do not forget... even Trojan or Minoan civilization were in mythology until Troy and Knosos were found!

 

Anyway... here is my first story....

 

the story starts... not from Rhodes but from Crete! King Minos (minoan civilization....) had 4 sons! One of them was Katreas, who became King of Crete after Minos death! Everything was fine but something worried him! an oracle was saying that he was going to be killed by the hand of one of his children!!! Oracles were very importand in the ancient times!

 

Katreas had 4 children! 3 were girls (Aeropi, Klemeni, Apemosini) and one was a boy (Althemenis)!

 

Katreas didn't want his children to know about the oracle so he didn't say anything, but after some time his children learned it! Althemenis and Aeropi desided to leave Crete so if the killer was one of them to be away from their father and by that way Katreas would be safe!

 

After some journey they reached at Rhodes, and builded a new city there! they named it Kritinia and the name means small Crete! Althemenis loved Crete so many times he was going on the top of the tallest mountain of the island, which was near Kritinia, to see his homeland! when the weather is clear you can see Cretan mountains from there! Althemenis loved Crete and wanted one day to return but... he never did! He died in Rhodes!

 

At the top of the mountain he built a temple for Zeus!

the temple became very famous later in the ancient times! It is said that the priests there had copper caw statues that were holly and from the sound they were doing (probably they were empty inside and the air was passing....) they cound say if something bad was coming!

This reminds the holly bull that was the symbol od the minoan civilization!

 

Katreas now, just to be safe he sold his other 2 daughters as slaves and they left from Crete! what a destiny... from princeses to be slaves...

 

Years passed... and Katreas was old! He wanted to find Altemenis and give him the throne of Crete! He had none other so....

 

He started searching and travelling (what a geocacher!! ) and one night he landed on Rhodes, close to Kritinia (probably in the area with the sea that now is called Liros).

 

Shepherds that were there were so afraid and thought that Katreas and its crue were pirates! Katreas tried to explain but the barking of the shepherd dogs covered his voice! The shepherds asked for help from Althemenis who took his weapons and his men to fight the pirates who entered in his land!

as I said it was night so he cound't see clearly! he throw his spear and killed Katreas! Soon he realized that he actually killed his father! He was the one the oracle was talking!!! Althemenis was desperate! he started screaming feeling the pain of the loss and because he had the blood of his beloved father on his hands! He went up on Attavyros mountain and asked from the Gods to open the earth and swallow him from so he will never see the light again! Gods did what Althemenis asked for! Earth was opend and he was vanished for ever! None saw him again!!!

 

Nowdays, you can see some ruins in Liros beach, you can visit Kritinia which is a beautiful village and has 1-2 caches near it...

Althemenis is now the name of the local football team of the village! Not a big team but.. they named the team like that to honor the hero cretan Prince who created the settlement that now is their village! Almost all the villagers in the area (Kritinia, Mandriko, Embona, Agios Isidoros, Sianna..) has the "Akis" at the end of their surname, just like the Cretans! they all know that they came from Crete, they listen to the traditional cretan music.....

 

You can also go on the top of Attavyros mountain to see the ruins of the temple Althemenis built! If the weather is clear... you may also see the Cretan mountains that Althemenis used to see..... on the top of Attavyros there is a cache too!

 

More stories to follow...

[+catsnfish]

While my profile states we are from Omaha, we actually live in a small town, Florence, that was swallowed up and annexed by Omaha.

Florence has more historic sites and historical markers per square mile than any other part of the state. Florence was land of the Omaha & Otoe/Missouria Tribes; on routes of international exploration up the Missouri River, Fort Lisa, Crossroads of the Trails: Lewis & Clark Trail, Alternate Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail, Winter Quarters site, and the California Gold Rush Trail; Territorial Boom-town, Outfitting-town, and Capitol of Nebraska for one glorious week.

 

like GATOULIS, I will have several posts on the history of Florence.

 

First fur trappers/fur traders entered the territory, some even living with the Native Americans that occupied the territory. At the same time that the fur traders came along, the missionaries advanced into "Indian territory" and in particular, a couple were present in the area of Florence.

In 1804, the Corp of Discovery Expedition traveled along the banks of the Missouri and even camped nearby. 1812, Manuel Lisa established Fort Lisa along the Missouri River to trade with the Indians and supply fur trappers. There is an EarthCache located near the site of his fort.

[+Team CeDo]

I grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota and the nearby areas are rich with history

much of that history has much to do with the Ringling Brothers Circus and others.

 

The Greatest Show on Earth

Filmed at the circus' winter quarters and throughout Sarasota, the 1952 Academy Award Best Picture of the Year made its debut on January 31, 1952, at the Florida Theatre. Its marquee was tented like the entrance to the Big Top, and director Cecil B. DeMille joined stars Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton and Dorothy Lamour in a re-enactment of a movie's street parade down Main Street to the theater.

Sailor Circus

Sarasota's Sailor Circus, named for Sarasota High School's mascot, is the oldest continuously running youth circus in America. Founded in 1949, Sailor Circus began as an extension of the school's gymnastics program to include basic circus skills taught by volunteer circus performers. The Police Athletic League of Sarasota County has run the program since 2004.

Ringling Circus Museum

The Circus Museum celebrates the American circus, its history and unique relationship to Sarasota. Established in 1948, the museum was the first in the county to document the rich history of the circus. The museam boasts features such as colossal parade and baggage wagons, sequined costumes, and a sideshow banner line that document the circus of the past and of today.

Sarasota, Florida:

Home of the American Circus

 

The five Ringling brothers.

Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida. No other area in the country can claim the rich cultural heritage, the abundance of circus families, and the homebase of as many circuses as Sarasota, Florida, and its surrounding communities. As a hub of circus activity for more than three-quarters of a century, Sarasota has earned its rightful title of "Home of the American Circus." John and Charles Ringling - two of the five original Ringling brothers who turned a small traveling circus into an international entertainment empire - wielded incredible influence on the economy, development, culture, and character of this same quaint village on beautiful Sarasota Bay.

 

When the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus moved its winter quarters to Sarasota in 1927, the serene seaside resort became a ring of circus activity, attracting famous circus families and artists from around the world, as well as thousands of tourists to its famed winter quarters. Sarasota quickly became known far and wide as Circus City, USA.

 

In 1960, Ringling moved its winter quarters to Venice, (25 miles south of the city of Sarasota), and the impact of the circus expanded into the larger Sarasota County area.

 

 

Ringling Bros. Winters in Sarasota

On March 23, 1927, prior to the circus' opening in Madison Square Garden, John Ringling announced that Sarasota would become the new home of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Greatest Show on Earth would move its winter quarters to 200 acres on the east side of town.

 

Winter quarters provided an annual respite for circus performers while giving management and the creative staff an opportunity to create and produce a new show for the following year.

 

John Ringling realized that the public had a great interest in a "behind-the-scenes" look at circus life, so he opened winter quarters on Christmas Day, 1927, and charged $.25 for adults and $.10 for children.

 

Ringling's winter quarters boosted tourism for Sarasota, and reaped a great deal of publicity for the state of Florida. By 1940, the winter quarters in Sarasota drew 100,000 visitors in one season, making it one of Florida's earliest and most heavily visited tourist attractions.

 

However, the folding of the Big Top tent for the last time in Pittsburgh on July 16, 1956 drastically changed the structure of the three-ring circus. Without the Big Top tent, several additional service tents and moving equipment the need for 1,000 roustabouts, a 75+ car train, or a 200-acre winter quarters greatly diminished.

 

After the circus pulled out of Sarasota on its 1958 tour, John Ringling North announced that winter quarters was moving 25 miles south to Venice. The 1959 season marked the last year that winter quarters were held in Sarasota, and as soon as the circus left town, the Ringling organization began taking up the train tracks and dismantling the circus buildings. The land was sold to Arvida Realty who developed the subdivision of Glen Oaks Estates that opened in 1963.

 

Today a historical marker stands at the entrance to the Glen Oaks Estates off Beneva Road at Calliandra Drive to memorialize the 33-year history of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' winter quarters in Sarasota.

 

Before the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus left Sarasota, it made its big-screen debut.

 

Filmed at the circus' winter quarters and throughout the city of Sarasota, the 1952 Academy Award Best Picture of the Year premiered on January 31, 1952, at the Florida Theatre. The theatre's marquee was tented in the fashion of the entrance to the Big Top, and Cecil B. DeMille joined Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton and Dorothy Lamour in a re-enactment of a movie's street parade down Main Street to the theatre for its first public screening.

 

On January 21, 1960, the Florida Theatre was also the site of the world premiere of another circus movie entitled Toby Tyler, starring Kevin Corcoran in the title role.

 

The Sarasota Opera bought the Florida Theatre in 1979, reconditioned it for $7 million, and renamed it the Sarasota Opera House. In 1983, it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

 

The Sarasota Opera House was also the site of the 30th (and last) session of the famed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1997.

 

 

 

 

 

Circus performers parading in Venice.

Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida. Venice and the Circus

Venice's first experience with the circus occurred in 1946 when longtime Ringling family friend James Edgar leased the rights to the former Sparks Bros. Circus and signed a five-year agreement with Mayor Clyde Higel naming Venice as its winter quarters. The Sparks Bros. Circus rehearsed for the 1947 season in a tent on a vacant lot off U.S. 41 adjacent to the Venice airport. The season was not as successful as Edgar would have liked, and the show ended the year on September 7 in Tacoma, Washington. With less than adequate funds to make the long haul to Venice, Edgar decided to get out of the circus business.

 

Although Venice held the dubious distinction of being the winter quarters of a circus that never played in its hometown, the Sparks Bros. Circus experience put it on the circus map.

 

Other circuses continue to reside in Sarasota County. Among them are Sailor Circus and Circus Sarasota.

 

 

 

Sailor Circus

Sarasota's Sailor Circus, named for Sarasota High School's mascot, is the oldest continuously running youth circus in America. Founded in 1949, Sailor Circus began as an extension to SHS's gymnastic program to include basic circus skills taught by volunteer circus performers.

 

Initially only students from Sarasota High School were allowed to participate in Sailor Circus, but its popularity became so great that admission was opened to any interested youngster from the larger Sarasota area.

 

In 1952, Sailor Circus gained permission from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to call itself "the greatest little show on Earth," marking the only time that such copyright permission has been granted to any performing arts troupe outside the Ringling organization.

 

In 1969 Sailor Circus moved to its present location on Bahia Vista adjacent to Sarasota High School, and performed under canvas. It moved into permanent facilities in 1981.

 

Ownership and management of Sailor Circus was passed from the Sarasota County School Board to the Police Athletic League of Sarasota County in 2004. While its goal remains teaching circus skills to young people, its mission is to use the positive atmosphere of the circus as an alternative teaching method and intervention program for youths at risk in the community.

 

Sailor Circus holds two sessions each year. Sailor Circus is presently conducting a $6 million capital campaign to build a new 31,000 sq. ft. arena as its home.

 

 

 

 

 

A Circus Sarasota performance.

Photo courtesy of Circus Sarasota. Circus Sarasota

Many circuses have called Sarasota home, but one of the latest and most dynamic is Circus Sarasota. Founded in 1997 by aerialist Dolly Jacobs, daughter of famed clown Lou Jacobs and aerialist Pedro Reis from South Africa, Circus Sarasota is a non-profit circus committed to "broadening the artistic contribution of the circus while raising the level and perception of the American circus." Circus Sarasota made its debut under canvas on a lot near the intersection of Fruitville Road and Interstate 75. Known for its highly artistic performance, the hometown circus features outstanding circus artists from around the world during its annual three-week performance schedule.

 

Circus Sarasota's new location is on Beneva Road near the Ed Smith Stadium, and site of the Cincinnati Reds' spring training baseball diamond.

 

 

 

 

Showfolks

An international alliance of circus artists, executives and associates, Showfolks of Sarasota was formed in 1964. Today, it presents performances every December. Its historic clubhouse holds memorabilia, including photos and hand-painted murals.

 

 

 

 

Circus Hall of Fame

The idea to create a hall of fame that honors outstanding circus artists and families was formulated in 1954 by circus fans and enthusiasts in the Sarasota community. The founders wanted to create a museum that would memorialize the rich cultural heritage of the American circus, as well as the contributions made by Sarasotans. In 1956, the idea became a reality when the Circus Hall of Fame opened its doors to 5,000 attendees on U.S. 41 near the airport and the Ringling Estate.

 

Its seven buildings provided 29,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space that was filled with circus memorabilia from costumes and props to posters and circus wagons.

 

Also among its collection were Tom Thumb's carriage; the Swedish Nightingale Jenny Lind's sleigh; personal remembrances from P.T. Barnum, James A. Bailey, the Ringling brothers, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley; and mementos from aerialist Lillian Leitzel and Aflredo Codona, the Flying Concellos and the highwire-walking Wallendas.

 

The Circus Hall of Fame was open year-round (including Christmas and New Year's), and presented circus acts four times a day from mid-December through April and from early June through Labor Day.

 

CBS-TV and host Garry Moore broadcast "The World's Greatest Circus Stars of 1966" from the Circus Hall of Fame on December 11, 1966. Appearing in the show were many famous Florida-based circus performers, including Emmett Kelly, the Wallendas, the Clyde Beaty-Cole Bros. elephants, Harold Alzana on the highwire and an animal act presented by Jon "Tarzan" Zerbini.

 

Although many thousands of tourists visited the Circus Hall of Fame each year, it was unable to remain profitable and closed in 1977.

 

 

 

 

Ring of Fame at St. Armands Circle

The Ring of Fame was established in 1988 to "recognize those who have made significant contributions to the circus." Each member is honored at an annual induction ceremony and a bronze plaque that is permanently embedded in concrete around St. Armands Circle.

 

Governed and administered by The Ring of Fame Foundation, new inductees are nominated by a committee comprised of former circus artists, employees and fans. About one-third of all Ring members are still living, most of them in the Sarasota area.

 

As of 2006, there were 88 members in the Ring of Fame, including circus owners P.T. Barnum, James A. Bailey, the five Ringling brothers and John Ringling North and present Ringling circus owner Kenneth Feld; circus aerialists Fay Alexander, Lillian Leitzel. La Norma and Dolly Jacobs; animal trainers William and Barbara Woodcock, Mable Stark; clowns Dan Rice, Otto Griebling, Emmett Kelly and Lou Jacobs; Ringmaster Fred Bradna and Bandleader Merle Evans; and famous families such as the Wallendas, the Cristianis, the Gaonas, and the Zacchinis.

[+Fianccetto]

I was born in a small sleepy town in Shropshire called Much Wenlock.

 

The place is steeped in history, Wenlock edge, a nearby 400 million year old limestone escarpment is famous among geologists for lending its name to an epoch in the Silurian period about 428 to 423 million years ago; marked by the appearance of the first corals (at that time Wenlock Edge was under the sea and just south of the equator.)

 

I could go on about fossil hunting, or the various ancient stories of mystery and folklore from the area passed on down the years, or of Ironbridge & Coalbrookedale down the road; the first iron bridge in the world and birthplace of the industrial revolution. Instead I'll go back to Much Wenlock itself as this little ancient place, full of half timber and old stone buildings & ruins as it has a surprising claim to fame.

 

Much Wenlock is the birthplace of the modern Olympic games!

 

Internationally it is well known that the first games of the modern Olympics took place in Athens in 1896.

 

Before that, as early as 1850, a local surgeon called William Penny Brookes, Victorian GP, JP and MP, wanting to promote "moral, physical and intellectual improvement" founded the Wenlock Olympic Games, which are still celebrated every July (aptly held this weekend and ending today, in fact!)

 

The Wenlock games came from small beginnings but grew as the years progressed. W P Brookes introduced the pentathlon in 1868 - high-jump, long-jump, half-mile race, shot-put and climbing a 70ft rope and the Wenlock Olympics progressively put more emphasis on track and field disciplines.

 

Brookes had a dream of an International Olympic Games on a much larger scale and corresponded with as many influential figures as he could on the subject. He formed the Wenlock Olympian society and lobbied for the revival of the Olympic Games in Greece and also supported Olympic championships elsewhere.

 

Baron Pierre de Coubertin was inspired to create the global event after a visit to the games in Much Wenlock in 1890. Coubertin & Brookes discussed how the Wenlock games might be translated on to a bigger, international stage. De Coubertin liked Brookes's idea so much that he not only adopted it but later claimed it as his own and he formed the Congress for the Revival of the Olympic Games in Paris in 1894 which went on to make Brookes' dream a reality.

 

The rest, shall we say, is much better documented history.

 

Juan Antonio Samaranch, then president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), visited Much Wenlock in 1994 and laid a wreath at Brookes' grave and commented:

 

"I came to pay homage and tribute to Dr Brookes, who really was the founder of the modern Olympic Games."

 

Geocaching link: The Wenlock Olympian Trail (Re-run) Thanks to Rosie's Rangers.

Edited July 12, 2010 by Fianccetto

[+GeocoinGuy]

What a great cointest!

 

~J

[+GATOULIS]

Here is an other story from my place... it may sound like a fairytale but it is not!

 

the story starts from the 1332... about 18 years from the time the Knights of Rhodes (nowdays knights of Malta), took Rhodes and most of the dodecanese islands and created their state! The whole island of Rhodes was living in the fear of a huge beast that was hiding in the St. Stefanos hill (nowdays it is also called Monte Smith), in an area that had swamps and it was called "Mal paso" (bad passage), 2 miles from the medieval city of Rhodes! Tradition named this creature Dragon!

 

To go to the chapel of St. Stefanos to pray, which was on the hill very close to the dragons nest, was extremelly dangerous for the pilgrims but also for the children and the shepherds of the area that many times were dissapeared while they were passing from that place! Many knights had tried to kill that dragon but none ever returned! So, the great Magister of the knights, Hellion de Villeneuve, ordered that nobody would ever try to kill the dragon, especially the knights!

 

It is said that the dragon had on its skin scales that nothing could pass and kill the beast! Not arrows, swords or any other weapon!

 

Fear of people for this dragon started making this beast even grater! So the people were saying that the dragon was breathing fire.... etc!

 

A young man whose name was Dieudonne de Gozon who was born to a noble family in Languedoc, France, and was a young knight of the order, didn't want to follow that order and asked permission to leave for a year to go to his home at his father castle of Gozon in Lanquedoc! There he asked to built a model of the dragon and with this he trained his dogs and his horse! I think I read somewhere that he used the skin of a crocodile to train the dogs, and the training of the horse was...so the horse wouldn't afraid to go closer and to avoid any hits from the dragon!

 

Dieudonne de Gozon had found out that the scales of the dragon were not protecting the belly of the animal but only the upper part of its body! but it was almost impossible to hit the beast there with his sword because of the dragons huge teeth and becasue of the harsh hits from the long tale of the beast!

 

When he finished all the trainning of his dogs and his horse, he returned to Rhodes and went straight to the hill the dragon was, and found it!!

His horse was well prepaired and could understand the difference between the model dragon and the real one! and his 2 dogs were very loyal to him and were attacking to the dragon while he was hiting it wit his sword!

Suddently a hit by the dragons tale throw down the knight and the dragon bend to him to kill him, but left his belly unprotected!!! The knight saw that and with his sword punched the dragons belly! the sword passed and went in the belly of the dragon who fell down....on the knight!!! when the knight's servants went up the hil they found their master right under the dead body of the dragon! he was hurt and unconscious! They free him and took his helmet off, and when he was ok again he went to the city on his horse, carrying the head of the beast! The croud, all the citizents were yelling from happiness and for the new great hero!!! The croud lead him to the palace of the grand master! While he was going there, people were saying loud that he was the greatest knight the best... greater than the grand master... so.....

 

At first the Grand Master wanted to punish him with prison and death because he didn't follow his order, but the people protested about it and he honored Dieudonne de Gozon with the title of honorably Grand Master!

 

The head of the dragon was placed above the sea gate of the city (the pretiest gate of the medieval town), where the travellers Thèvenot, Rottiers and Biliotti who came to Rhodes, wrote that they had seen it, in the 17th century! It was said that the head was bigger that the one of a horse, with a huge mouth and teeth and very big eyes!

 

An other version of the story says that the skull of the Dragon was said to have remained above the Amboise Gate until 1837.

 

In 1837, a biologist I think saw the head and said that it belonged to a huge crocodile!

 

Amboise gate is a different gate, it is close to the palace and it is the one who takes you sooner to the area the dragon was!

 

Many are saying that the story is not real but most probably it is not just a fairytale, even if the discription of the monster is a little too much...

 

Archeologists believe that it was probably a crocodile or a big serpent that came to the island by pirates or becasue of a shipwreak!

 

thie second version is probably the best! at that time, many aristocrats wanted strange animals and beasts for their private zoo or to show their power! in Palaces you could see many african animals, like monkeys etc, but to have a wild and dangerous animal was giving you a great prestige....

So, ships were carrying such animals! Most probably there was a shipwreak because of the bad weather and the only animal that could swim and was saved was the crocodile! It went up the hill where he found swamps and... lots of food and stayed there.....

 

The area now that the dragon died took the name "Bell Paso" (good passage). Dieudonne de Gozon became Grand master after the death of Villeneuve! He was excellent in leadership, great warrior and beloved by the poor farmers of the island who was extremelly good to them! He died in 1353, and it is said that his grave was the only one who had the inscription... "here lies the dragon slayer"

 

The whole story of Gozon was praised in a poem that was writen by the famous German poet Friedrich von Schiller.

 

Here you can read the poem:

 

http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&...BF%25CF%2585%2F

 

Now... this story is a litle caching related! How??

 

The area the dragon was has 2 caches! The area is the place where the ancient stadium of Rhodes is, and actually the caves the beast had its nest were probably the cave sanctuaries in the area! archeologists found ruins of a byzantine chapel close to the caves, and most probably it is the St Stefanos chapel!

 

an other thing that makes it caching related is... that the only local geocacher in rhodes lives there, very close to the area the dragon was! Oh yes! I live there!

 

Here are some photos to see....

 

1) Dieudonne de Gozon as Grand Master

 

2) the grave stone of the grave of Gozon (it is in the museum of Cluny in Paris)

 

3) The sea gate of the medieval town of Rhodes

 

4) the Amboise gate

 

5) 2 photos of cave sanctuaries..... who knows... maybe the dragon was there!

 

[+Sioneva]

Ever heard of the Raid on St. Albans, Vermont? It’s not much discussed in the history books, but I’ll give it a try.

 

Darn Southerners, they just don’t stay where they belong! The year was 1864, and some of the Confederates were getting restless, and needed to get away from the Southern heat. So they decided, what the heck, let’s invade the North… again. Of all places to hit, they settled on St. Albans. God only knows why!

 

21 cavalrymen from the South, led by Bennett Young, made their way up to Canada, and then back down to Vermont, arriving by October 21. Their goal was to rob the three banks in the town and take off with the money, to help the Confederate treasury. They did successfully make off with $208,000, but that was eventually returned to the town, though Canada refused to extradite the raiders to the US. They stole the horses too, but history is silent on what happened to the horses.

 

Was it a battle? Probably not. A raid, definitely. 1 Vermonter was killed, 1 was wounded, and a shed was burned! The raiders intended to burn the whole town, but the bottles of Greek fire they’d brought with them didn’t work. They did leave a bunch of bewildered townsfolk behind, wondering what the heck had just happened – as one old man in the bank allegedly asked, “Who were those folks?”

 

Historical footnotes: this was the northernmost land military action during the Civil War, and Canada’s refusal to extradite the raiders was considered by some as official recognition of the Confederacy as a country.

[+catsnfish]

Florence was built on the site of the Winter Quarters, which was an encampment formed by approximately 2,500 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they waited during the winter of 1846-1847 for better conditions for their trek westward. It followed a preliminary tent settlement some 3½ miles west at Cutler's Park. The Mormons built more than 800 cabins at the Winter Quarters settlement. Located in present-day North Omaha overlooking the Missouri River, the settlement remained populated until 1848.

Wintering Saints had left their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois on relatively short notice and brought limited useful supplies. They built cabins and sod houses for the winter. One group of cabins became known as Kimball Row. It consisted of thirteen adjacent cabins, with the homes of church leaders Heber C. Kimball and Newel K. Whitney at either end. The Latter-day Saints actively traded with American Indian and trading settlements in northern Missouri and Iowa, exchanging household goods and small amounts of cash for foodstuffs, such as hogs, grain and vegetables, and supplies for the emigration effort. Young Mormon men also produced handcrafted items such as willow baskets and washboards for sale. Church funds also allowed the community to build a much needed water-powered gristmill.

 

Even with trade, diet in the camp was mainly corn bread, salt bacon and a little milk, with occasional fresh game or domestic meat. Scurvy, known as "blackleg" during this period, became a major problem. Missouri potatoes and horseradish found at old Fort Atkinson helped ease the level of disease, but all residents lacked fresh vegetables in their diet. Tuberculosis (known as consumption), malaria, and unidentified fevers and chills also plagued the temporary settlement.

Church records for the first summer do not contain information on disease victims; however, later records indicate that, from mid-September 1846 to May 1848, disease caused the deaths of 359 residents.

 

Brigham Young supervised construction of the Florence Mill. Today it is reportedly the only surviving building in the area to have been built by Mormons. The settlers needed a mill to grind corn, wheat, and rye to create cornmeal and flour products. Constructed next to Turkey Creek, later called Mill Creek, which flowed into the Missouri River, the original structure was started in the fall of 1846. it was completed by spring of 1847 at the cost of $3000. Brigham Young sold this mill to John Neff, who left it when he also moved to Salt Lake City. Later settlers renovated and used the mill for years. Evidence of the original construction techniques has been found in the surviving Florence Mill.

There are caches at the Mormon Cemetery visitor center, the marker for Cutlers Park and at the present site of the Florence Mill.

[+Carbon Hunter]

South africa's history is not quiet so old. So I bring a piece I reserched for a battle site cache in Mpumalanga, South africa. The Boer War was between the British and the South african Boers (Farmers) and really revolved around access to GOLD. This story involved the author of Sherlock Holmes (Conan Doyle) and the Leader of the Britich forces - famous for his WW1 recruitment poster (Kitchener)

 

What, may you ask, do the creator of Sherlock Holmes; Mahatma Ghandi and Lord Kitchener have in common with Sappi’s plantations? Unlike the great sleuth, the answer is not quite so “elementary” as one may think. It involves a number aristocratic hedonists, a cover up of national proportions that would have even the most reluctant conspiracy theorists contemplating a Masonic linkage and a hero of seemingly Herculean proportions.

 

Helvetia is one of Sappi’s tree farms just outside Machadodorp in Mpumalanaga and forms part of the Camelot estate. It was also the site of one of the last set piece battles of the second Anglo-Boer war. The battle took place on 29 December 1900, just as the war entered its scorched earth phase with the deplorable concentration camps and mobile guerrilla tactics of the Boers. A cemetery with the remains of a number of fallen British soldiers is still maintained on the plantation and many tourists pay the site a visit each year.

 

The brief overview of the battle plan was that the Boers under General Ben Viljoen, launched an early morning sortie against a British garrison on the strategic cross roads at Helvetia. The British were complacent in their defences having all but assumed that the war was over and that they would soon be redeployed to India after some much needed leave. Most officers on site were so nonchalant about their task that they blatantly ignored dispatches from their Head Quarters and did not prepared adequate defence structures or instil any level of discipline amongst their troops. Manning any static position is a rather boring task for the majority of the time. The officer’s felt this boredom and attempted to spice their life up by entertaining each other with evening dinner parties using the garrison’s ample liquor ration and food for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The officer’s had served together for a reasonable spell and were known to enjoy the good life from documented accounts of their conduct while stationed in Pretoria in the preceding months, which included tennis parties, dancing and socialising with the colonial gentry of the day.

 

The consequence of all of this is that the British positions (including the artillery piece – the Lady Roberts named after Lord Robert’s wife) were easily overcome and surrendered with very little fight at all. Of the various emplacements, it was only the King’s Koppie where a Colour Sergeant Johnson took charge of his position in the “absence” of his officer in command. He and his men staged a valiant defence with prevented a total rout of the British position. Johnson won the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for leading this brave stand. Johnson opted to keep silent about the ineptness of his officer’s according to the unwritten warrior code. He was not even called as a witness to the resultant court martial in case his evidence was contrary to what Kitchener required. After the war, the Regiment sent a simple telegram with the words, “We are mighty proud of you!” to Johnson. All in all this was certainly not the mighty King’s Liverpool Regiment’s finest hour. By first light the Boers had retreated with almost the entire battalion in tow as prisoners of war. Once again the festive rations were imbibed and Gen Viljoen wrote later in his memoirs that about 30 members of the garrison had to be left behind near Dullstroom as they were too drunk to walk. He also recounted how three of the officers had to be woken from their beds to be taken captive.

 

So now that the actual battle had finished, the political intrigue and cover up began. This is the part that had remained “under the carpet” for so many years and Peter Goodship’s research has recently brought to light. Kitchener was devastated at a third consecutive loss a demanded that a plausible explanation was established. The British government were furious as they had been assured that the war was all but over, “Home by Christmas” was the saying of the day, and these defeats were a major embarrassment (especially in the light of a looming election).

 

The garrison’s commander, Major Cotton, was summonsed before a court martial for surrendering to the Boers. Evidence in his defence regarding the fact that he was recovering from a serious bout of malaria that saw him carried to Machadodorp on a doolie by Indian bearers. This is the Ghandi connection as Mahatma Ghandi organised the bearers for the Regiment. He was also shot in the head by a glancing bullet early in the fracas and spent most of the battle wandering around in a serious state of concussion. The court ignored this crucial evidence and Cotton found himself the sacrificial lamb that shouldered the full blame for the incident.

 

Although Cotton bore the full brunt of the political hostilities, Kitchener revoked his court martial a few months later with little fanfare or restitution (he remained a civilian for the rest of his days). His name was also removed from all official War Office records of hostilities and to this day does not appear in any official government records of the Boer War. It is here that Goodship surmises that the Arthur Conan Doyle link fits in. Conan Doyle was vociferous in his comment on the war in South Africa. He publicly questioned the verdict of the court martial, but to no public acknowledgement. Conan Doyle and Kitchener no doubt continued their communication off the record. Both were members of the Masonic lodge and were known to frequent similar social gatherings. It appears that some form of amicable agreement was reached between them that lead to Cotton’s pardon. Conan Doyle received a knighthood soon afterwards and Kitchener was given his promotion to commander in Chief of the Indian Army. And so ends an intriguing part of history that appears to have been brushed aside to further the bigger picture.

[+catsnfish]

The Florence Secession

The fourth legislature which met in Omaha, December 8, 1857, is known as that of the "Florence Secession." The war between the North Platte and South Platte sections had become fierce and bitter. There were twice as many settlers in the South Platte country as in the North. A majority of both houses of the legislature were from the South Platte. The North Platte by Governor Izard's veto had been able to hold the capital at Omaha. The South Platte was determined to take it across the river. A bill for that purpose was introduced. A fist fight on the floor followed between members from Omaha and members from the South Platte. The next day, January 8, 1858, a majority of both house and council adjourned to the town of Florence six miles above Omaha. There they met and passed laws, while the other members met in Omaha. Among the acts passed at Florence was one providing for the removal of the capital to Neapolis. This was another paper town on the south bank of the Platte, near where Cedar Bluffs, Saunders County, is now located.

Nebraska's third governor, William A. Richardson, Democrat, of Illinois, arrived at Omaha January 12, 1858, in the midst of the Florence secession. He refused to recognize the members at Florence or to sign the laws passed there, because that was not the capital. So both the Florence and the Omaha legislatures went home, at the end of forty days, with nothing done.

[+catsnfish]

The Trial of Standing Bear took place at Fort Omaha but was then known as Fort Barracks.

 

Someone once claimed that General George Crook was the greatest Indian fighter ever but in spite of the claim, General Crook became more known for his respect of the Native Americans he fought in battle, and his greatest claim to fame was at Fort Omaha, where he helped establish Native Americans as human beings in the light of the law (United States Law). It is a fascinating and important story. Here is a shortened version. At your earliest convenience, you should visit the Gen Crook home, and surrounding grounds to learn this important history from where it took place.

 

In the second half of the 19th century, as new lands were acquired by treaty, the U.S. Government started moving Native Americans to other Indian Territories. The Ponca tribe were told they would need to leave the Nebraska lands (they had been living on) to live on what was becoming the last of Indian Territory, an area in what is now Oklahoma. To make the transition easy, 10 chiefs were allowed to preview the new location. When they did not approve of the location, the government decided to send the Ponca there anyway, among them Standing Bear. The U.S. was harsh with Native Americans that didn't want to remain where sent.

 

In the new location, the supplies were not sufficient and many died the first winter. Standing Bear's own son became very sick and it didn't look like he would make it. His son's last surviving wish was to be buried back in the old stomping grounds, near the Niobrara River in upper Nebraska. Upon his son's death, Standing Bear, along with a small party started the journey north to bury his son as he had wished. On their way north, the party stopped by the Omaha Reservation to visit old friends. Upon learning of Standing Bear leaving the reservation and heading north, the Secretary of Interior in Washington, D.C ordered General Crook to intercept Standing Bear and his party and return him to the reservation.

 

It didn't take too much to see that this was not only morally wrong. but it also showed that the Native Americans had no legal rights to defend against any U.S. Government actions. General Crook solicited the help of two area Omaha men to help correct the problem. He contacted attorneys John L. Webster and A.J. Poppelton, and also Omaha Herald newspaper writer Thomas Henry Tibbles to help raise public support for the native cause while he went out to intercept Standing Bear. Instead of returning Standing Bear to the reservation, he was brought back to Fort Omaha, where he was on essentially, "house arrest", while attorneys Webster and Poppelton prepared a case against the U.S. Government.

 

U.S. attorney G.M. Lambertson argued that an Indian was neither a person nor a citizen and therefore, they could not bring a lawsuit against the government.

 

The case could have been a tough one but turned out to be an easy win, partially due to Standing Bear's own speech. The presentation was so emotional, that many wept or had wet eyes, supposedly including the judge himself. The case is monumental in U.S. history in that it made Native Americans human beings in the eyes of the law.

 

Mr. Tibbles' contribution was immense in helping to sway the public. He even made a historic "run" from Fort Omaha to carry the news.

 

Following the decision, a government investigation found that the living conditions for the Ponca were unfit. As a result, the Ponca were allowed to return to a plot of land along the Niobrara. Standing Bear traveled back east, raising awareness for his people. Upon his return to his homeland, he lived out his life with his people and farmed his land. In 1908, Standing Bear went to the great pow-wow in the sky.

 

There is a monument near the flag pole at Fort Omaha as a tribute to Standing Bear that you should visit while visiting the General Crook home and area.

 

General Crook died on March 2nd, 1890. His reputation has stood the test of time, even with his past enemies. It was the Lakota chief Red Cloud that said, "He never lied to us. His words gave the people hope."

 

There is a cache located at The General Crook House.

[+GATOULIS]

what story shall I write today..... I have stories or supernatural... stories from mythology.... stories from WWII...a story with a hidden treasure.... Stories for ancent heroes. stories from the history of the city.... what shall I post here today.......

 

Let's start from the creation of Rhodes!

 

According to mythology...... the Gods sat one day to divide the land so It was going to be their land and they had to protect it plus all the living things on it! ... Zeus, the greatest and the leader of all Gods started giving lands, but... he forgot the Sun God Hellios! He was not there becasue he had to ride his chariot on the sky and bring the sunlight and the day to Earth!

 

Hellios came back when everything was already over! When Zeus saw him he realised that he had forgoten him and apologised to Hellios by saying that he would start the share of the lands from the beggining! Hellios told him that it was not a good idea and he had seen a land that was about to come to the surface of the sea the next day! So he asked to give this land to him! Zeus agreed and the next day a beautiful island was born! Its name... Rhodes! Just because it is the favorite isnad of Hellios we have so many sunshine... it is said that we have 360 days of sunshine here! It's not so far from the truth...

 

The story of mythology is just trying to explain things and has some truth inside! Rhodes was under water in some millions (or hundrents of thousands) years ago!! You can still finf sea shell fossils and other things on the top of mountains! If you search you can see them on rocks on the tallest mountain of Rhodes too!

[+GATOULIS]

ok... here is an other one about the name of the island....as I found them in the net...

 

RHODOS (Rhodos), was, according to Diodorus (v. 55), a daughter of Poseidon and Halia, and sometimes called Rhode. The island of Rhodes was believed to have derived its name from her. According to others, she was a daughter of Helios and Amphitrite, or of Poseidon and Aphrodite, or lastly of Oceanus (Pind. Olymp. vii. 24; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 923). She was a sea-nymph, of whom the following legend is related. When the gods distributed among themselves the various countries of the earth, the island of Rhodes was yet covered by the waves of the sea. Helios was absent at the time; and as no one drew a lot for him, he was not to have any share in the distribution of the earth. But at that moment the island of Rhodes rose out of the sea, and with the consent of Zeus he took possession of it, and by the nymph of the isle he then became the father of seven sons. (Pind. Ol. vii. 100, &c.; Ov. Met. iv. 204.)

 

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

 

Pindar, Olympian Ode 7. 13 ff (trans. Conway) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) :

"Praise the sea maid, daughter of Aphrodite, bride of Helios, this isle of Rhodes."

 

Pindar, Olympian Ode 7. 69 ff :

"And there grew up from the watery wave this island [Rhodes], and great Helios who begets the fierce rays of the sun, holds her in his dominion, that ruler of the horses breathing fire. There long ago he [Helios] lay with Rhodes and begot seven sons, endowed beyond all men of old with genius of thoughtful mind. And of these one begot he eldest Ialysos, and Kamiros and Lindos; and in three parts they divided their father’s land, and of three citadels the brothers held each his separate share, and by their three names are the cities called."

 

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 28 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :

"Poseidon married Amphitrite, and had as children Triton and Rhode, whom Helios made his wife."

 

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 55. 1 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) :

"Poseidon, the myth continues, when he had grown to manhood, became enamoured of Halia, the sister of the Telkhines, and lying with her he begat six male children and one daughter, called Rhodos, after whom the island was named . . .

Helios, the myth tells us, becoming enamoured of Rhodos, named the island Rhodes after her and caused the water which had overflowed it to disappear . . .

His seven sons [by Rhodos] were Okhimos, Kerkaphos, Makar, Aktis, Tenages, Triopas, Kandalos, and there was one daughter, Elektryone, who quit this life while still a maiden and attained at the hands of the Rhodians to honours like those accorded to the heroes."

 

Strabo, Geography 14. 1. 18 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :

"Some say that, of the nine Telkhines who lived in Rhodes, those who accompanied Rhea to Krete and reared Zeus in his youth (kouros) were named Kouretes; and that Kyrbas, a comrade of these, who was the founder of Hierapytna [in Krete], afforded a pretext to the Prasians for saying among the Rhodians that the Korybantes were certain Daimones, sons of Athena and Helios."

[+GATOULIS]

Ok... I will post today something that not many know even if here, Rhodes! It is numismatic info! nothing to do with geocoins even if the coin of Rhodes is quite nice for a geocoin....

 

Rhodes had 3 cities... Ialysos, Lindos and Kamiros! According to the myths... these were 3 of the sons of Hellios with the nymph Rhodes, and they created these 3 cities on the island!

 

of course... an other story says that King Tlepolemos who was son of Hercules built the cities! He was in the Trojan war too helping the other greeks and he was killed there by Sarpidonas!

The fact that a dorian was there is a great info for the historians! The greeks who were in Troy were Achaians and it was believed that Dorians came later and beat achaians but this is not true! They were both here and they were living together! the story about Tlepolemos show that!!!

 

In ancient times, there were many wars between the gree cities, but never between these 3! They were very friendly and living peacefully! Lindos even made a colony in sicilia! (Rhodes as a city had colonies in the coasts that belong to Turkey now, and there was a colony in Spain too, wit hthe name Rodas!)

 

They even join an alliance with Kos island, Knidos and Alikarnasos and they made the famous Doric hexapolis! It was a strong alliance between these 6 cities!

 

The idea to join together and create a new city was in their mind for a long time and finally in 408 BC, Rhodes was created! The other cities still existed but now all were Rhodians!

 

the 3 cities had their onw coins and symbols!

 

here you can see them...

 

Ialysos:

 

Kameiros:

 

Lindos:

 

when Rhodes was created they choosed to put the god Hellios on the coins as the god protector of the city and the island, and as a symbol they choosed the rose! It was a kind of a joke for the name! A rose for Rhodes! Rhodes means Rose!

 

So here you can see a coin of Rhodes:

 

And now the story begins.....

 

This lovely coin of rhodes, was cursed in the medieval times!!!!

They believed that the 30 pieces of Silver Judas took to betrayed Jesus were Rhodian coins!!! They thought that Hellios just because he has a wreath of light (sun), was actually Jesus and the rose symbol was the Rose of Syria!!! Centuries later thigs was cleared and the Rhodian coins were "clean" again!

 

the 30 pieces of silver were shekels from the phoenician city of Tyre! Here you can see a coin:

 

they show Gof Melqart and on the other side it is an eagle! These coins were not greek but had greek inscriptions on them! This is because Greek language was extremelly famous at that days, and because... these coins were immitations of the coins Of Seleucid kingdom! Here you can see one...

 

so.. can you see the similarities?

 

The seleucid coin shows Antioxus, a greek king that was one of the generals of Alexander the Great, and took a big part of asia to rule after Alexanders death! The eagle is the macedonian symbol!

 

I hope all this was not so boring...

[+GATOULIS]

Ok.... anyone else???

 

My today's story is a little bit different.....

 

Geocaching is so close to the treasure hunting... at least it is like the one we used to do as children! some guys are doing this even now as their main job or as a hobby.... Lucky you!

 

Anyway.... there are times that you hear about a treasure and you are trying to find it... You are not alone but there are so many that share the same dream.... you search and search and search... but nothing!!! But... suddently.. a guy who was not even searching for a treasure finds one so close to you.... in a crouded place.... in an area that nobody would had even think of.....

 

something like that happent to Rhodes a couple of years ago.... I think it was in 2007....

 

A diver who was cleaning ships had an amazing find! He found 3 ship wreaks and one of them was full of gold coins and jewells! He told everything to the archeologists! in the other ship wreaks thye found ancient amphoreas still sealed with wax and probably were carrying wine, and other terracota vessels!

In the "rich" ship they collected more than 3000 (some say about 10000) gold coins, mostly otoman from the 18th century and some Portuguese from the 18th century too.. I think! There were jewells made of gold, and also some weapons, like swords and some extremelly rare granades of that time, in perfect condition ready to be used!!!

 

Now... the strange is where these were found......

 

In the commercial port of Rhodes!!!! so we are talking about a treasure in a crouded place, where many ships are, it is not very deep and it is very very close to the old town!!!

 

According to the archeologists, the ship (what is left...) was diged out from the sand because of the propelas of the cruiser ships that are visiting the island!!! But... this was probably damaging the ship too! so they needed a way to protect it and why not... take it out of the water! I really do not know what happent with the ship! maybe it is still out there but not many know the exact spot...

 

what troubles everyone is.... if the ship wreak was so close... nobody knew all these years about the gold? why when the ship wreak happent... nobody went down to save the gold etc??

Since the money were a lot it was probably for the payment of the soldiers etc... so... they knew about it!!!

 

I have to say that archeologists found in the coins many rare pieces with many dates and mints! I saw 2 of the coins and they were amazing!!!

[+GATOULIS]

Ok.... here is an other story from the port!

 

The post of Rhodes has some medieval parts like the Tower of the angels... A huge chain was connecting the tower with the Nayak tower (fell in the 1800's) on theother side of the port, to close it at night and during wars! In peace times, there was a tax of the chain in the commercial ships! Every ship that was entering in the port hadto pay this tax!

 

Of course.. there was not only this defence tower but there were wind mills and ruins from ancient times!

 

Arceologists desided to excavate the area and found that... the area was.... a graveyard for the poor in the ancient and medieval times!!!! People who didn't have anyone... people who were so poor that were actually living in the port... were burried there! I have visited the excavation area and I was amazed by 2 or their finds! One was a sceleton of a huge guy! He was a slave! His hight was about 2 meters so for his time he was a giant! he was a muslim and you could see that from the way he was burried and where his body "looked"...while he was lying...

 

He seems that he was carring heavy things on the port! you could see the damages on his bones! He was not eating well and you could see that from his teeth! but he was very strong! His bones were big, thick... wow!

But the most tragic thing was that he was still wearing the ring with the chain on his left foot!! The iron had been rusted but it was still there... it became one with the poor man's leg! It was shocking to see that! he died as a slave!

 

the other find was... more "romantic"

Archeologists found a strange skeleton!!! It belonged to a seal and it was a burrial of the ancient times (befor Christ)!!! It was probably a seal that a family, a poor living family had as a pet! The family lived in the port so the seal was coming to them! they even had a smal bowl so she can eat!

they really loved her!

when the seal died they burried her like she was a part of their family! She was burried according to the ancient greek customs!

They put with her the only thing she has... her bowl and they also put a small copper coin (they were very poor.. so this was a lot of money for them) so she could pay the ticket to Charon and pass her with the boat in the other side of the acheron river... where the Hades kingdom was!

If you didn't have the coin, wich was a silver one in a normal funeral, you couldn't pay Charon so he would not take you with him! your spirit would stay in the wrong side of the river and you would be a desperate soul that will never relax.... a ghost!

 

So, they tried to give to their beloved seal the chance to go to Hades and one day to meet her again!

 

You can see how strong the relegion was, that didn't even think.... that a seal can swim and doesn't need a boat!!!

 

The area was open for some months so some lucky tourists saw these! Later they took the seal's skeleton for more studies and to exibit it ... one day... who knows! The area is still excavating but it is closed to the public!

 

Ok... these were mostly info and probably not stories... I do not know if this counts... anyway... at least I hope you are enjoying reading them!

I will be back with stories about my island tomorrow!

[+Team CeDo]

Gatoulis, I log in just to read your stories about Greece! There is so much history there I hope to visit one day!

[+wolfslady]

These are so cool. I'll have to do smoe thinking but here is one I read awile back, that comes to mind.

 

THE DEVIL of Yocum's Inn's Treasure

 

I thought about rewriting it but I really don't have the time right now. Maybe later something will come to me. If it's not ok for me to post the story with a link let me know.

 

http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/Yocum.htm

 

YOCUM'S INN:

THE DEVIL'S OWN LODGING HOUSE

By W. T. Block

Reprinted from FRONTIER TIMES, January, 1978, p. 10ff;

also note all sources in footnotes of Block, HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, etc. p. 78. The best source is Seth Carey's memoirs, "Tale of a Texas Veteran," Galveston DAILY NEWS, Sept. 21, 1879, as reprinted in Block, EMERALD OF THE NECHES, pp. 158-163, at Lamar University and Tyrrell Libraries. Many other writings of recent vintage are pure fiction.

 

Stories about the old Goodnight and Chisholm Trails have so dominated the writings of Western Americana that even Texans have forgotten that their first great cattle drives ended up at New Orleans rather than Abilene or Dodge City, Kansas.

 

When the Spanish viceroy lifted a trade ban between Texas and Spanish Louisiana in 1778, a New Orleans-bound cattle drive of 2.000 steers, driven by Francisco Garcia, left San Antonio in 1779, the first drive of record along the unsung Opelousas Trail. By the mid-1850s, more than 40,000 Texas Longhorns were being driven annually across Louisiana, and no one welcomed the cattle drovers more enthusiastically than did Thomas Denman Yocum, Esq., of Pine Island settlement in Southeast Texas.

 

The first Anglo rancher along the Opelousas Trail was James Taylor White, who by 1840 owned a herd of 10,000. In 1818 he settled at Turtle Bayou, near Anahuac in Spanish Texas, and he was a contemporary of Jean Lafitte, whose pirate stronghold was on neighboring Galveston Island. By 1840, White had driven many large herds over the lonely trail, and a decade later, had more than $150,000 in gold banked in New Orleans, the proceeds of his cattle sales.

 

By 1824 there were others from Stephen F. Austin's colony, between the Brazos and Colorado Rivers, who joined White in the long trail drives, and a favorite stopover was Yocum's Inn, where the welcome mat was always out and the grub was always tasty and hot.

 

Thomas Yocum settled on a Mexican land grant on Pine Island Bayou, the south boundary of the Big Thicket of Southeast Texas, around 1830. It was then a virgin, sparsely-settled region of prairies, pine barrens, and thickets, and any settler living within ten miles was considered a neighbor. The deep, navigable stream, 100 feet wide and 75 miles long, was a tributary of the Neches River and had already attracted ten or more pioneers who also held land grants from the Mexican government. Often they heard the pound of hoofs and bellowing of thirsty herds, bound for the cattle crossing over the Neches at Beaumont. There were more than thirty streams which intersected the trail and which had to be forded or swum in the course of travel. And always Yocum rode out at the first sound of the herds and invited the drovers to quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger at the Inn.

 

Some people who stopped at the Inn were headed west. Sometimes they were new immigrants driving small herds into Texas. Some, like Arsene LeBleu, one of Jean Lafitte's former ship captains, were Louisiana cattle buyers carrying money belts filled with gold coins, and were en route to White's Ranch or elsewhere to buy cattle. The popularity of Yocum's Inn spread far and wide. Its genial host soon became the postmaster of Pine Island settlement under the old Texas Republic, supervised the local elections, served on juries, and was widely respected by his neighbors and travelers alike.

 

Yocum acquired much land and many slaves, and by 1839 his herd of l500 heads of cattle was the fourth largest in Jefferson County. While other settlers rode the wiry Creole, or mustang-size, ponies of a type common to Southwest Louisiana, Yocum's stable of thirty horses were stock of the finest American breeds, and his family drove about in an elegant carriage.

 

A gentleman's life , however, held no attraction for Squire Yocum, a man who literally was nursed almost from the cradle on murder and rapine, and for many years Yocum's Inn was actually a den of robbers and killers. What is the most startling is the fact that Yocum was able to camouflage his activities for more than a decade, maintaining an aura of respectability while simultaneously committing the worst of villainies, with a murderous band of cutthroats unequaled in the history of East Texas.

 

How Yocum could accomplish this since he used no alias, is unexplainable, for he, his brothers, his father, and his sons were known from Texas to Mississippi as killers , slave-stealers, and robbers. If any neighbor suspected that something at Yocum's Inn was amiss, he either feared for his life or was a member of the gang.

 

One account, written by Philip Paxton in 1853, observed that Yocum, "knowing the advantages of a good character at home, soon by his liberality, apparent good humor, and obliging disposition, succeeded in ingratiating himself with the few settlers."

 

Squire Yocum was born in Kentucky around 1796. As a fourteen-year-old, he cut his criminal eyeteeth with his father and brothers in the infamous John A. Murrell gang who robbed travelers along the Natchez Trace in western Mississippi. At first Murrell was reputed to be an Abolitionist who liberated slaves and channeled them along an "underground railroad" to freedom in the North. Actually, his gang kidnapped slaves, later selling them to the sugar cane planters of Louisiana.

 

Murrell soon graduated to pillage and murder, but slave-stealing remained a favorite activity of the Yocum brothers, and on one occasion two of them, while returning to Louisiana with stolen horses and slaves, were caught and hanged in East Texas.

 

When law enforcement in western Mississippi threatened to encircle them, the Yocums fled first to Bayou Plaquemine Brule, near Churchpoint, Louisiana, then in 1815 to the Neutral Strip of Louisiana, located between the Sabine and Calcasieu Rivers. Until 1821 the Strip knew no law enforcement and military occupation, and hence became a notorious robbers' roost for the outcasts of both Spanish Texas and the State of Louisiana.

 

In the Land Office Register of 1824, T. D. Yocum, his father, and two brothers were listed as claiming land grants in the Neutral Strip; and during the 1820s, according to the Colorado "Gazette and Advertiser" of Oct. 31, 1841, Yocum's father was tried several times for murder at Natchitoches, La., and bought acquittal on every occasion with hired witnesses and perjured testimony.

 

By 1824, Squire Yocum, once again feeling the pinch of civilization, had moved on to the Mexican District of Atascosita in Texas. He lived for awhile in the vicinity of Liberty on the Trinity River. Writing about him in 1830, Matthew White, the Liberty alcalde, notified Stephen F. Austin that Yocum was one of two men who allegedly had killed a male slave and kidnapped his family, and as a result "were driven across the Sabine and their houses burned." But Yocum was not about to remain so close to the hangman's noose and the fingertips of sheriffs and U. S. marshals. And he soon took his family and slaves to the Pine Island Bayou region where he built his infamous Inn. Having acquired some wealth and affluence by 1835, the old killer and slave stealer could become more selective with his victims.

 

Among the many travelers along the dusty Opelousas Trail, the eastbound cattleman often stayed at Yocum's Inn and left praising the owner's hospitality. And of course the genial proprietor always invited him to stop over on his return journey. It was the westbound Louisiana cattle buyer and the Texas rancher who had already delivered his herd in New Orleans whose lives were in danger. Usually drovers paid off and dismissed their hands in New Orleans. Texas cattlemen often traveled alone on the return trip, and if any of them lodged at Yocum's Inn, a bulging waist line, which usually denoted a fat money belt of gold coins, virtually signaled his demise. The drover's bones were left to bleach in the Big Thicket, at the bottom of the innkeeper's well, or in the alligator slough.

 

In East Texas, Squire Yocum's crimes spawned more legends, many of them about his buried loot, than any other man except Jean Lafitte. And every legend tells the story differently. One relates that a Texas rancher was backtracking a missing brother, who was overdue from a New Orleans cattle drive, and stopped at Yocum's Inn to make inquiries. A Yocum cohort informed the rancher that no one had seen the missing brother on his return trip; then suddenly the missing brother's dog rounded a corner of the Inn. Glancing elsewhere about the premises, the rancher recognized his brother's expensive saddle resting on a nearby fence. When the conversation became heated, Yocum's partner grabbed for a shotgun, but the rancher fired first and killed him. As told in the legend, Yocum overheard the conversation and accusations from a distance, and quickly fled into the Big Thicket.

 

Another legend tells of a foreigner who was carrying a grind organ and a monkey with him when he rode his big gray stallion to Yocum's Inn in search of a night's lodging. Earlier the stranger had played the hand organ for some children who lived nearby and who had given him directions to reach the Inn. The story adds that Yocum traded horses with the foreigner during his stay. When the children later found a battered hand organ abandoned beside the trail, there was little doubt about the foreigner's fate.

 

There are many early records, written at the time of Yocum's demise, which chronicle the innkeeper's death, but they sometimes conflict. The longest of them was written by Philip Paxton in 1853, and his account of how Yocum's misdeeds were exposed appears to be the most plausible. {{Indeed, his account is deadly accurate. See sources at end}} Paxton claimed that a man named (Seth) Carey, who owned a farm on Cedar Bayou near Houston, had killed a neighbor during a quarrel over a dog and fled to Yocum for asylum. It was agreed that Yocum would receive power of attorney to sell Carey's land grant and that Yocum would forward the proceeds of the sale to Carey in Louisiana. A gang member, however, told Carey that he had no chance of escaping to Lousiana. Yocum planned to pocket the proceeds of the sale and, besides, Carey had wandered upon some skeletons in a Pine Island thicket and thus had learned "too many and too dangerous secrets" about the murder ring at Yocum's Inn.

 

The earliest published account, which appeared in the San Augustine "Redlander" of Sept. 30, 1841, stated that Yocum was killed by the "Regulators of Jefferson County who were determined to expel from their county all persons of suspicious or bad character." The newspaper chided the vigilantes for killing Yocum and not allowing him the due process of law and a speedy trial. But the editor conceded that Yocum had a notorious record in Louisiana "as a Negro and horse stealer, repeatedly arrested for those crimes."

 

Three other accounts, however, two in the Houston papers of that era and another in the "Colorado Gazette and Advertiser," published at Matagorda, Texas, alleged that "Thomas Yocum, a notorious villain and murderer, who resided at the Pine Islands near the Neches River, has been killed by the citizens of Jasper and Liberty Counties . . . ."

 

"Yocum has lived in Texas twenty years and has committed as many murders to rob his victims. The people could bear him no longer so 150 citizens gathered and burned his premises and shot him. They have cleared his gang out of the neighborhood," thus putting an end to the Pine Island postmaster, his gang, and his Inn. Of course, only Yocum could reveal the true number of murder notches on his gun, which may have reached as many as fifty.

 

According to Paxton, the Regulators found the bones of victims in Yocum's well, in the neighboring thickets, in the "alligator slough," and even out on the prairie. They then burned Yocum's Inn, the stables and furniture, but allowed his wife, children, and slaves a few days to leave the county. The posse trailed the killers into the Big Thicket and eventually caught up with Yocum on Spring Creek in Montgomery County. No longer willing to trust a Yocum's fate to the whims of any jury, the vigilantes gave the old murderer thirty minutes to square his misdeeds with his Maker, and then they "shot him through the heart" five times.

 

Paxton also reported that "not one of Yocum's family had met with a natural death." Little is known of the fate of Yocum's sons other than Christopher, who in 1836 who had been mustered into Captain Franklin Hardin's company at Liberty, and who had served honorably and with distinction for one year in the Texas Army. Chris, whom many believed to be "the best of the Yocums," may not have been implicated in the murder ring at all, but he fled, leaving his young wife behind, perhaps because of the stigma that his surname carried and the public anger that was then rampant.

 

Believing that the public clamor for revenge had died down after a span of four months, Chris Yocum returned to Beaumont, Texas, one night in January 1842. Sheriff West, although he had no specific crimes to charge him with, was aware that a thirst for retribution still lingered and he arrested young Yocum for his own protection. Jefferson County's "Criminal Docket Book, 1839-1851" reveals that Chris was lodged in the county's log house jail on the afternoon of Jan. 15, 1842. What the book does not reveal is the fact that young Yocum faced Judge Lynch and an unsummoned jury of Regulators on the same night. The following morning West found him swinging from a limb of an oak tree on the courthouse lawn, with a ten-penny nail driven into the base of his skull.

 

During the second administration of Sam Houston as president of the Texas Republic, there were many excesses and assassinations, principally in Shelby County in East Texas, attributed to vigilante bands, who called themselves "Regulators." On Jan. 31, 1842, he issued a proclamation, ordering all district attorneys to prosecute the Regulators stringently for any offense committed by them. The proclamation began as follows: "Whereas . . . . certain individuals . . . have murdered one Thomas D. Yocum, burned his late residence and appurtenances, and driven his widow and children from their homes . . . ."

 

Whether or not President Houston's paper might have been worded somewhat differently if the chief executive had been forced to witness the bleached bones in Yocum's well or to bury some of the skeletons out on the prairie is, of course, another question.

 

Almost from the date of T. D. Yocum's death, legends began to circulate concerning the murderer's hoard of stolen treasure, because the vigilantes knew that neither the old robber nor any member of his family had had time to excavate it before they were driven from the county. Some of them thought that only Yocum and one of his slaves actually knew where the loot was hidden. Others claimed that Chris Yocum knew where the treasure site was, and that one of the reasons for his returning to Beaumont was to dig up the gold so that he and his young wife could start life anew somewhere under an assumed name. For years treasure hunters dug holes along the banks of Cotton and Byrd Creeks, and decades later sinks and mounds in the Pine Island vicinity were said to be the remains of those excavations.

 

Time passed, the Civil War was fought, and the Yocum episode became only a dim memory in the minds of the early settlers. Finally it was an elderly black woman in Beaumont who triggered the second search for Yocum's gold. She told her grandchildren that about 1840 she was a young slave girl who belonged to the owner of a plantation in the vicinity of Yocum's Inn. One day whe was picking blackberries when she heard voices nearby. She moved ahead along the banks of a creek until she finally spotted Yocum and one of his young slaves at a low spot or crevice in the creek bank. Both of them were busy backfilling a hole in the ground.

 

As a result of the old lady's story, another network of pot holes were dug up and down the banks of Byrd and Cotton Creeks. And once or twice a stranger appeared who claimed to have a map drawn by an old Nagro who said he was formerly Yocum's slave. But if anyone ever found the treasure, that fact was never made public, and one writer claims it is still there awaiting the shovel that strikes it first. Maybe so, but gold hunters usually don't print their findings in newspapers. And they, like buccaneers, ain't especially noted for their wagging tongues either.

Edited July 19, 2010 by wolfslady

[+Fianccetto]

Gatoulis, I log in just to read your stories about Greece! There is so much history there I hope to visit one day!

 

Me too! Planning to make a trip to Greece for Christmas!

[+GATOULIS]

Huh.... I wanted to share with you a story that not many know, not even in Rhodes, a story that I found and had to do with WWII and the worst consegration camp in Aegean, and of course it was in Rhodes, but I can not find the newspaper article!!! I know that I kept it but where?? Oh boy!!!

 

It was an amazing story, an unknown part of history and I believe it was very very interesting to read but...

 

Well...

 

I will post an other story and I will continue my search!

 

TELCHINES....THE RHODIAN DEMONS!!!

 

one of the most mysterious creatures in the greek mythology are the Telchines! They are not so famous as Centaurs or Cyclops etc, they are creatures with great interest that their origin desapears in the past!

 

according to Mythology sources, they came from the union of Gaia and Pontos, or they were sons of the daughter of Oceanos, kafeira! Other versions say that they were born from the union of Nemesis and Tartarus, or from the drops of blood of Ouranus when he was amputated by Kronus.

 

Telchines appeared as the ancient citizents of Telchinis island, nowdays Rhodes! They are categorized under the creatures of fire and or metals! They are described as amphibian monsters without feet and hands and that they were 1/3 humans and the rest 2/3 were fish and demons! They had fins and membranes between their toes of their feet!

 

Diodorus the Sicilian says that Telchines had discovered many arts that were known and useful to humans!

They made the arpes (the sickle) that Kronus used to amputate Ouranus. Except that they made the trident of Poseidon which became the symbol of the Atlantians!

 

Telchines had worked together with the cyclops and created a necklace that was in the gifts that were given to Harmony when she married Kadmus! this necklace would bring fatal misery to all who would wear it!!! They are the first who made statues of Gods and discovered how to engrave the medals! (so... geocoins comes from Telchines??? )

They were the makers of the weapons of Gods, and it is said that they knew metals unknown to other men! they were the first who started working with iron and they were the best in the works with copper! They were making metal statues who could talk and walk!!! (Robots???)

 

They were also considered to be wizards and they were making porsions from routes from special plants... they could bring rain, hail, snow, thunders when ever they liked and they had the gift to transofming in whatever they liked.... whenever they liked it!!!

It is also said that Telchines had "evil eye" and their evil was famous!!!

Ancient writers were saying that this bad fame they had were because others were jealous of them for being so good in arts and into making things!

Telchines were 9 and many names were given to them! The most known were Lycus, Kyrvas, Chrysos, Argyros, Chalkos, Skelmis kai Kameiros, Lindos, Iallysos (from them we have the 3 ancient cities of Rhodes...)

 

POSEIDON AND TELCHINES

 

from the union of Titanis Rea and Cronus Poseidon the God was born! Poseidon was the master of all the seas and water generally! Rea just to save him from his father Cronus (he was swallowing his children so none would take his thone!!!) gave poseidon to the Nymph Arne. but Cronus heard the cry of poseidon the run to see what it was! Arne managed to persuade him that there was nothing there except her and her sheeps! Later, Rea Gave Poseidon to Telchines!

 

They were very clever so every time Poseidon was crying, they were singing and dancing loud to cover the cry from the ears of Cronus!

When Poseidon grow up, he fell in love with Alia the sister of Telchines! She gave him 6 sons and a daughter! Her name was... Rhodes! after many years, while Afrodite was going from Kythera to Pafos in Cyprus, the 6 sons of Poseidon offended her! So to punish them she sent madness to them! They wraped their mother and did many other bad things so... Poseidon exiled them to the center of the Earth and they became the Eastern demons! Alia was so desperate with all this that commited suicide and fell in the sea but she was honored with the name Lefkothea.

 

According to an other legent... when there was a huge flood and Rhodes was full of sea water Telchines left from the island but first they made the island infertile with water from Styga!

 

an other legent says that one of them, Lycus went to Lycia (nowdays in Turkey) and built the temple of Lycium Apollo! an other version says that Apollo killed the Telchines! but an other ancient writer says that Zeus killed them because they were very bad! They also said that Telchines were nothing but the dogs of Aktaion, trasformed after they had killed and eaten their master!

 

As you see, there are many different versions of the story of Telchines! The mystery that covers them is huge! These Rhodian demons are still a mystery......

anyway... no matter what heppent to them and to the 6 sons of Poseidon... Rhodes became the only one left and inheritage the island!

 

THE EXPEL OF TELCHINES FROM RHODES ISLAND

 

According to some ancient writers, Telchines were expeled from Rhodes island by the sons of Hellios, the Helliades! the writers gave us even their names: Thrinakas, Makareas and Augis!

 

an other version that I mentioned again is that a huge flood made Telchines to leave the island and went from Rhodes to Crete! Some consider crete as the land of the origin of Telchines. There, they were close to Zeus, and we know them as Kourites! We also find them in Cyprus but we know nothing about the part they had in the tradition of the island. On the other hand, in Kea island, one of the most famous families, the one of Euxandides, claimed that they were coming from the Telchines because of Euxantios the creator of the family!! Their king was Dimonakas and his wife was Makelo or Makedo!

 

Now... there are some things that are strange... coincidence or not... some human faced creatures were fished in the area of Dodecanese Islands (where Rhodes is the capital) and they name is Telchines or Devil fish! They live in abyssus of 2500 meters deep!

 

 

 

Are they the Mythical Telchines who survived transformed until nowdays??? Who knows....

 

Maybe someone changed the shape of the fishes into that... by cuting parts... maybe they are original photos! I do not know... I do not remember if these photos I found in the net under the article I translated (sorry for the mistakes) came from the Aquarium of Rhodes! It's been a long time since I last visited it!

 

as you can see... my island had demons, dragons, gods, humans, lots of history... and now has caches and one geocacher....to tell the stories!

 

Isn't that a paradise?

[+catsnfish]

snip

as you can see... my island had demons, dragons, gods, humans, lots of history... and now has caches and one geocacher....to tell the stories!

 

Isn't that a paradise?

 

Yes it is!!

Edited July 20, 2010 by catsnfish

[+GATOULIS]

...and I haven't post yet about Diagoras, Kallipatira, Colossus, the siege of Rhodes in 1522 and in 1480, the explosion of the St. John catherdal and the palace that was completely destroyed in 1850's.... and so many other things....

 

I even have a legent of a hidden treasure that I heard.... and even ghost stories or stories that belong to supernatural....

 

If I was poting aobut Leros island too... huh...

Edited July 20, 2010 by GATOULIS

[+GATOULIS]

Time to take this cointest back to page 1 with an other story.....

 

I heard this story from my father! according to him many old men knew about this but now... I do not know if anyone of the younger ages know it.....

 

From 1912 until 1943 rhodes was under Italian occupation! actually the whole dodecanese was, and they had the name.... Isole Italiane del Egeo!

 

Italians as allies of the Germans in WWII (until 1943) had already made a list with all the Rhodians who were Jews! I think there were about 2000!

 

when the surrender of Italy happen, Germans took the command of the islands! In some it was with big fights (like in Leros island...)! so... in 1944, they took all the poor greek jewish families of Rhodes and Kos islands and took them to Ausvits! Only 151 survived!

 

At first they demnded that all the male jews from the age of 16 I think and older to go to the gestapo here! They arrested everyone and their next movement was to say that all women and childern of the jews to come too if they wanted to see their men again!!! So all were arrested! None of the rhodians could help them, even if they had good relationship with them and they were living peacefully tobgether, just because of the list!

 

germans collected all the gold the jews had! some of them had hidden their jewells and gold coins in places, in their old houses, and sometimes they are still be found... but the majority of the gold was collected!

 

It is said that a german officer took the gold and hide it in one of the caves in Rodini park... He was hoping that when the war was over he would return for the gold!

 

Rodini park is an ancient park of the necropolis of the ancient city of Rhodes! It has lots of green, a tiny river... if you can say that this is a river... and many ruins from the ancient times! There are many ancient graves there... some look like houses... and there are many cave sanctuares there! They were used as cave temples but many were used as graves too!

there si a cache in the area... and close to some of the caves...

 

so.... in one of them there is gold, jewells, sovereigns recious stones... (Rhodian Jews were rich!)!

 

the war ended... but none found the treasure.. I do not know what happent to the german officer or the workers who were with him when they hide the treasure... some say that the german was killed... and the workers were killed by the german... others say that the german came back but the area had changed and he couldn't find the cave!

 

Yes, in many places the area changed... caves were closed, others were lost for ever under tons of earth...

 

It is said that they tried to find the treasure and they ever brought tiny wagons... to curry the dirt the rocks etc... they had rails, and the vagons were like tiny trains...

 

I do not know if this story is true or not! Maybe it is fictional but... if you search a little.... some caves have some strange metal parts and I am 100% sure that in one I had seen one of these wagons! the caves are not stable... so it is very dangerous to go in... except that.. they are dirty! some are small...

 

Most probably the wagons are from the time when Italians were cleaning the caves, before the war! maybe the caves were used as storehouses for weapons.... so the wagons were used to take the rocks and the dirt out, and to curry the weapons....

but human mind really creates amazing stories with lots of fantasy....

[+forthferalz]

Thanks for the cointest! I have a history lesson that was part of a cache i placed. Only part two is still active here:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...db-b90b38501393

 

Anyway on to the story. It is set in Tasmania, Australia where truth is always stranger than fiction.

 

It was certainly a Red Letter Day for the new colony at Launceston when a Maharajah sailed in from Calcutta aboard his brig the Active.That was new years day 1812. This grand personage - Jonathon Burke Hugo, styled Count McHugo, the "lineal Descendant of Earl Bothwell and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, the Great Grand daughter of Henry the 7th of England and Consequently the rightful Heir to the Crown of England" began handing out the juicy cargo of tea, spirits and spices liberally upon easy terms of credit and became very popular.

 

So popular that control of the fledgling settlement was happily handed over to him upon demand by the Commandant, Major George Gordon - a very an unfortunate decision as the Maharajah initiated a royal court of enquiry into the settlers' grievances and sentenced Commandant Gordon to be hanged!

 

He was rescued by his Lieutenant who had to cut short his holiday and ride back to town upon hearing of the uproar. The Maharajah was of course a mere commoner; a merchant suffering from a delusional state who was sent under guard to a mental institution in Sydney and thence to the General Insane Hospital, Calcutta.

 

The matter of the stray pretender to the throne of England (and Tasmania) appears to have been kept successfully from the genuine majestic ears until 2 1/2 years later. Upon returning to England Burke Hugo created another huge ruckus - over the loss of his Brig and his cargo ( which had been sold in Sydney by the authorities ) The buck travelled down the ranks of officialdom from Lord Bathurst across the oceans to Govenor Maquarie across the strait to stop on poor Major Gordon; now permanently losing his command (but keeping his life,) and causing the centre of government and all goodies to shift from Launceston, its logical geographic seat in the central north of the island, to Hobart in the sorry south where it is now so inconveniently placed for feralz geocaching pursuits.

[+GATOULIS]

Ok.... time for an other hidden.... thing here in Rhodes!

 

I hope you know that from 1309 until 1522 almost all the dodecanese islands were under the Knights of Rhodes!

The knights of Rhodes were the Hospitaler knights of Jerusalem, also known as St; Johns knights! when they came in dodecanese, they created their own country... for the first time! rhodes was their capital!

 

At the end of 1522, the city fell after a great war and siege, in the Ottoman hands! I will not tell details because these will be an other story for here...

In case you are wondering about the knights... this order is the only one that exists from the crusader times, until nowdays!!! when they left from Rhodes, they went to Malta until 1797! there, they took the name... Knights of Malta! Now I think their base is in Rome, but they still coming in Rhodes and they are making new knights!

 

anyway... The knights left and took what they could carry, but something was left behind that... nobody or... only a few knew about it.... and here the story begings........

 

the hidden thing was.... tons of gan powder!!! they were hidden in the basements of the St, John knights Ca thedral, that was near the grand master's palace!

I heard a story that just because the grand master didn't trust some of his generals a lot (traitors were everywhere...), he ordered the gan powder and hide it there... a place that none would look! when there was a siege... they would have lots of it....

I do not know if that is true of course! Yes, there were traitors! during the siege, they caught a servant of a general of the knights throwing arrows with messages to the Turks talking about the city, the army of the knights... about problems in food etc! the servant was killed and cut in pieces! these pieces were hanged on the clock tower so everybody including the Ottomans could see them!

Even The general was accused (Amaral) and until some years ago it was believed to be a traitor who was trying to deal wit hthe Turks, but new info probably cleaned his name!

 

anyway.... when the Knights left, the gan powder was left behind! Hundrents of years passed and not even Turks knew about it! One night in 1856 and during a thunderstorm, a thunder fell on the cathedral!!! It wnet straight to the gunpowder!!! the explosion was huge!!! the cathedral and the palace of the Grand Master's collapsed! everything in a circle of 300 meters were destroyed!!!

 

What was left from the palace was turned into a jail!

 

Once again years have passed! In the place the cathedral was, a Turkish school was build (somewhere in the 1800's?)

 

Itallian came and occupied the islands in 1912 until 1943! In that period and actually in the 1930's they rebuild the palace but didn't follow the original patern... they builed a medieval look palace but with the conforts of a 1930's house, using some ruins ofthe old building... so their king Victor Emmanuel III and Mussolini later to use it as a summer palace...! they never visited it because the war started! they also build a replica of the cathedral of St. John in smaller scale and not in the original spot but hundrents of meters away.... in Mandraki harbor! they did that so Rhodes will look like Venice!

 

Nowdays, the Palace is a museum and the St; John church turned into a Orthdox church wit the name Evangelismos (Annunciation of the Virgin Mary)

 

Here you can se some photos I found in the net...

 

The palace...

 

 

the front gate of the palace that looked the cathedral (the church was less than 20 meters from the palace)... here you can see at the base of one of the gate towers some of the original stones of the Knights palace!

 

The Turkish school (not in use today) that was build on the ruins of the St. John catherdral. you can see some ruins too...

 

the Evangelismos Church.... a small replica of the destroyed knight cathedral....

[+GATOULIS]

Oh... sorry if I am posting here without a story... I forgot to mention an info that I heard from an old guard of the grand master's palace...

I do not know if it is a true info!

 

It is not a story to participate but it is a good info for sure...

 

The old guard told me that Italians when they rebuild the Palace, they made new doors too! So they took the old door of the palace and put it as a door in the Amboise gate! you can see a photo of the gate in my dragon story...

 

It was the first time I was hearing this but old guards knew things...that not many know...

 

the door was made of thick and heavy wood which is covered with iron plate! that was to make it stronger! The palace was not as you believe it was... it was a palace plus a strong fort! It was the last defence line of the knights, so its doors were fort doors!!!

Of course I do not know if the door is from the Knight times or the Ottoman.... but looks like Medieval....

Unfortunatelly some kids (probably) didn't respect it and made graffiti on it!

 

Ok... here is an other tiny story from an other old guard who is not on duty any more, and some things I learned when I was there...

 

The palace was one of the richest palaces in europe! Italians were bringing things from other occupied areas, or they were bringing royal gifts!!!

 

They decorated the palace with ancient mosaics from Rhodes and Kos, marbles from Italy (some very rare ones...), they brought seats from medieval churches.....

 

In the palace there are still some amazing candle sticks in human size, dated back to the 15-16th century showing the Archangels...

 

In an other room you can see royal gifts from Japan... there are vases and in the throne room there is a huge Porcelain china vase with gold showing the birth of Bhudda!!! But.... these are what they were left behind....

these vases were gifts from emperor Hirohito (when he occupied big parts of China) to his ally Mussolini and King Vittorio Emmanuel III !!! the gifts were sent straight to the palace in Rhodes!

 

according to the old guard, after the war, British desided that these things did not belong to anyone... not to Rhodians and not to any other, so they took them! They filled 2 ships with them and took them back home! I have no idea if that is true and I do not know where these things are now! I am just wondering... if that is true... why they didn't take the others too? they are amazing and unique things!!!

 

My other tiny story has to do with the war... and nowdays....

 

Back in 2003 I was guarding a room of the palace when an old Italian man came to me and asked me if he could go to the middle floor of the palace! He showed me the small staircase that was there... I told him that I couldn't let him! it was a restricted area that only Arceologists were using! He told me something I will never forget! He was a soldier here in rhodes in WWII and he was only 20 years old! He was guarding the entrance and the stair case of the middle floor and the middle floor too of course! during the war, the Italian high ranked officers were meeting there to make war plans etc! He was the guard there and after so many years he wanted to visit the place he spent most of the time as a soldier and during the big war! He wanted to see that before he leave from this world...

I was so sad I couldn't help him! I wish I could but....

 

In 2008 I was guarding in an other room when a woman asked me something that none supposed to know.... she asked me where the room with the red stone bathtab was!!! That was the queens room!!! It was not open for the public!!! How she knew about it??? I was one of the lucky guards who visited this room even once!!!

 

I asked her how she knew about it and show her the closed door of the room! she told me that her father was a british officer and after the war he was responsible for the palace....

he lived and he was taking his bath in this room!!! when he was back, he was talking about the palace and the room to his family! Her daughter wanted to see it from close! She was sad because she wanted her father to come too, but he had passed away some time ago...

She also told me that british officers used to put a nett in the inside yeard of the palace and they were playing tennis!

 

I hope you liked my small stories and if you even come to Rhodes to visit the places and the palace!

 

Oh... something else... it is good that we have the palace as a museum... the guard told me that after the war, they were planning to turn it into a hotel!!! that would ruin the palace! It was good that greece turned it into a museum.... what do you think?

 

edit because I forgot the photos! sorry!

Edited July 25, 2010 by GATOULIS

[+GATOULIS]

Ok.... back to page one and here is a personal story that I alse published in the online geocacher magazine! It has to do with illegal digs, geocaching, the story takes place in a cache area and it is connected with the temple I was talking about.... in the Althemenis story....

 

It is illegal to start searching for treasures in Greece! you must have a license from the goverment and if you manage to get it, it is only for 5 days at most! not more! If you find something half of it goes to the country! You can not keep them all! If what you find is an archeological treasure it is not yours for sure! Archeologists will take it! You are not allowed to search or dig or even metal detecting in archeological area, sites etc! So it is quite hard to do anything... even if treasure stories exist here in Greece!!!

 

So... my story goes like that....

 

t was winter in Rhodes, but do not expect heavy winter here! Snow is so rare and you have to go to the highest mountain, Attavyros to see some! One day we decided to go up there but not to see snow this time! We wanted to find the cache that was hidden there!

 

On the top of this lovely mountain you can see the ruins of probably the greatest ancient Greek temple of the island! The temple was dedicated to God Zeus! Many ancients were coming here to pray to Zeus for them or for their animals! Archeologists who made some excavations had found many “gifts” to the god from the ancients! Most of them were small bronze statues and tiny bronze ox statues! We have this even now! We ask the help of a saint for something (to heal our leg for example) and as a payment to the Saint, we are taking, most of the times a placket (silver or gold in the old times, but nowadays they are only in color) showing engraved the leg that has been healed!

 

Anyway… the area is protected by laws! You can not go and dig or something! If you do anything there, you are illegal and you are facing the jail!

 

The day we decided to go and find the cache was a nice one for a winter!

 

The sun was shinning the sky was clear but it was cold and windy!

 

Well… we were expecting that!!! J

 

We went by car until a few, meters away from the top! We started walking and we decided first to visit the temple and then the cache! After all, that was exactly what the geocachers who placed the cache did, and…we didn’t know the exact place the cache was!

 

The temple was nice but nothing much left from it! Some walls only! We saw many stone pyramids there! They were probably made by visitors!

 

near a column

 

While we were walking in the temple area and the area around it, I saw that there were small digs in the ground! Small round, most of the times, digs! I started counting them…. They were many!! At first I thought…. Rabbits! They found something to eat and…. While I was walking and finding more and more holes, I realized that the holes were too deep to be from a rabbit! …And…. What a rabbit was doing up here where there is almost nothing to eat??? The sun was blinding me so I kept looking down!

 

I was a little further from my sister and my brother in law so I decided to see where they were! I turned my head and saw a man with dark clothes and a jacket looking at me! I saw that he was holding a metal detector and a small shovel!!! I was quite close to him no more than 20 meters away but a wire fence was separating us! I couldn’t see his face clearly because of the sun and because he was wearing sunglasses and cap! I am sure he was looking me clearly!!!!

 

The guy was the one who made the wholes and the digs!!! He was illegally searching for ancient things!!! He was a criminal!!! I do not know why… maybe because I used to work as a guard of antiquities, maybe because I love history, ancient sites and my place… I started yelling at him!

 

“What are you doing here with all that??? Huh???? ”

 

I do not know if he heard me because the wind was strong and was blowing from the other side! He tried to come closer but he suddenly turned his head and saw my sister and my brother in law who were coming close to me, and started leaving the area quickly!! My sister yelled my name and I am afraid he heard it! Both my sister and my brother in law came close to me and asked me what that was! They had seen the guy and the metal detector!!!

 

By that time, the guy who was near some big rocks, suddenly disappeared!! Where did he go??? We could see all the way down but we couldn’t see him! He was probably hiding somewhere! We didn’t want to go chase him because this would be a stupid and extremely dangerous thing to do!

 

So, we continued our way to the cache! After some time we came to the cache area!

 

Oh!!!! The cache was exposed and thrown some meters away from its hiding place! The guy probably had found the cache and since it didn’t have anything for him he had thrown it away! I checked if everything was ok, I logged and we left the area quickly!

 

After all that we started feeling hungry so we went to one of the taverns in the village close to the mountain to eat! Our mind was still in the incident and we thought that everyone was looking at us! The guy had seen our faces but we haven’t seen his face!

 

What fear can do….

 

All night we were talking about that! The next morning we called the Archeologist office! We explained everything and we answered all their questions! The woman archeologist who was talking, asked us what we were doing up there! We told her about geocaching and that there is a cache near there (I never said the hiding place!!), and we were ready to explain what geocaching is when she told us that she knew the game! She had been to another country and she knew about it! She was happily socked when she learned that this game finally came to Greece! We told her that we are the only geocachers in the island!!!

 

I gave all the details I had kept in my mind about the guy, and believe me I am good in details! She told me that I was very lucky! These guys are very dangerous and who knows… he may had a gun!!! Oh boy… this never passed from my mind!!!

[+GATOULIS]

And here is a story about ancient rhodes and one of the bravest women!!!

 

Her name was Kallipateira and she was the daughter of the most famous athlete and olympic winner in the ancient world, Diagoras! Diagoras was from Rhodes island and he was from a noble family.... royal family of Iallysos! He won all the athletic events and games he was perticipating, including Olympic games! He was a boxer! He never lost a game!

 

Anyway.... The story of Diagoras will be in an other post....

 

No women were allowed to see the olympic games! If one was caught the punishment was death! they were throwing her from the mountain Typaion!

 

the only women in the olympic games were women priests but they were there only for the god and the ceremony in the temple and then they were leaving without looking at all!

 

Kallipateira wanted to see her son participating in the olympic games so much!! He had already lost seeing her father, her 3 brothers, her hasband, her nerphew... now she was going to lose her son's game too??? She didn't care if she would caught her and kill her! So.. she took a cloth and tide it hard in her chest, and was disguised into a trainer of her son... what we call now a coach! She entered and none understood her!

 

Her son won and became an olympic winner! She was so happy that she run to hag him but on the way the cloth she had to cover her breasts opened and everybody saw that she was a women! She was immediatelly arrested and she was facing the death penalty, but the judges saw that she was from an Olympic winner family!

 

Her father was the greatest olympic winner, her 3 brothers too, her hasband, her nerphew, and now her son! So they desided not to kill her!

 

But... they had to change from that time the law and all athlets and their trainers to enter in the stadium naked!

 

So... a woman from Rhodes was brave, honored and changed the rules of Olympic games!

[+GATOULIS]

And here is an other story about Dorieas, son of Diagoraw and brother of Kallipateira!

 

He was The third son of Diagoras! He won in 3 constinuous olympic games, the 87th in 432BC, 88th in 428BC and 89th in 424BC, in Pagration, a sport that was something like Karate and kick boxing!

 

he was like his father, a traveller athlet who was participating in many athletic games! He had 7 wins in Nemea, 8 in Histhmia and Pythia...

 

when the influence of Athens was growing in Rhodes, his aristocratic family was set out of the law and Dorieas had to escape to Thurioi a city in Sicily so they will not caoght and kill him! He was sentencedin death by the Athenians but he didn't know it!!!

 

In Thurioi, he met the great Architect Hippodamus from Miletos!

 

when Athens started to lose the Peloponesian war (against Sparta) he was the leader of 30 ships from Thurioi, and joined the forces of Sparta! He went to Knidus in 412 BC and started a revolution there against the Athenians who were there! With that revolution, the name of his family was back again with honor!

 

In 408BC, he was the the one with the idea of creating a new city in Rhodes by uniting the 3 cities, Kamiros, Ialyssos and Lindos! Rhodes city was borh this year and his friend Hippodamus made the plans for the city, the roads etc!

The rymotomic system of Hippodamus is used until now! It is a very modern system! the city is divided in squares of the same size where the houses are build and the streets are all parrallel! in Rhodes they were going from the port to the acropolis or from the end of the island to the end of the city (so it was from North to Soutn and from East to West...)!

 

In 407, Athenians caught him with his 2 ships! He was arrested and send to Athens to execute him! there, in front of the judges who were telling him about the court's desision, he got naked and said... how can you execute a man with such a body.. a piece of art! they also admired his family and his athletic story and abilities and set him free!

 

The thing with the body is because ancient Greeks didn't see anything bad on a named body! They were saing that the good body, the athletic one.. that is well trained, is a piece of art, and to admire it! That is why most of the statues are naked!!!

[+GATOULIS]

ok... some small stories now.... for rhodes...and I will stop for today!!

 

when Hippodamus made the plans of the new city, Rhodes, he divided the area into equal sized squares! roads were seperating each square from the other... The houses in each square were most of the times 4 and they were the same! None was bigger or smaller, none was richer or poorer!

 

when Rhodes became very rich with commerce and became a naval power rhodians bacame so rich that others were buying the houses that were next to their home and they were uniting them so they had bigger house... others were enriching them with statues etc... so the other cities started laughing at them from jealousy.. They were saying that Rhodians has everything bigger, wants everything bigger etc! Well.. do not forget that the biggest statue of the ancient times, Colossus was in Rhodes! but.... there were many huge statues in the city... smaller than colossus but quite huge!!! Archeologists found near the acropolis a statue maker store that was making statues about 10meters high!!! So...

 

An other story now.... as you know, Rhodes in not close to the main greece! we live in the borders! In the ancient times the trips were not so easy as now! A trip with a ship from Rhodes to Kos (an island near by...) that now takes about 2 and half until 4 hours depending on the ship, in the ancient times took a whole day! So for someone from Athens or Macedonia it was a long long trip!!!

 

An athlet who was in Athens just to say that he was a great one, started saying that he was in rhodes and he made a huge jump in the athletic games... none believed him so he was saying that if they do not believe him they can go to Rhodes and ask the people who were in the games! So an Athenian took a stick and went to the jumping area in the Athenain stadium and wrote... Rhodes! then he said to the other guy.... here is Rhodes, here ins the jump.... meaning... if you done it let's see you do this again here! This comes from Aesopos myths.... This motto is still in use.....

[+GATOULIS]

the medieval city of Rhodes has many small churches and some big ones! the knights had their own cathedral near the palace, the catholics had their own cathedral, the Jewish (that have spanish rutes..) had their own church and the local Orthdox had many small byzantine churches and a big cathedral....

 

Unfortunatelly many were damaged or destroyed! The knight cathedral was destroyed by the explosion.... the orthdox one was probably destroyed my the siege of Rhodes, but what was left was completely destroyed by the bombing in WWII! the bombs fell accidenly in parts of the medieval town where poeple were living....

 

The jewish was destroyed too and a new one was build...

 

The catholic big church wit hthe name Panagia Bourgou (Virgin mary of the City), was destroyed becasue of the bombing in the siege of 1522! There were only some parts left... The place where the main entrance was, was builded and the new houses used the standing walls as part of their house! They closed the doors, they opened windows etc...

 

The other part, the holy area, was left alone, and the other ruins were left like that.... centuries passed, new entrances for the medieval town were made to bring more clean air in the city, and to help the cars... so... the poor church was diveded by a road!!! Cars were passing and you could see in one side the holy area of the church and on the other the ruins of the rest of the church!!!

 

there were complains about this and archeologists desided to unite the church once again! So now the road does not exist the ruins of the church are united and they fixed some parts too! They haven't rebuild the church just because what is left is not over the 50% of the building! To rebuild an ancient or medieval building, or tower... the remains must be over 50%!

 

when archeologists were excavating the area of the church and near it, they found a skeleton from the medieval times! it belonged to a man, probably a merchant who was killed there from the bombing of the siege of 1522!

Archeologists were surprised becasue the poor man was burried in a hurry and none searched his body... even if it was a hard time...So the mman was burried with his purse! It was full of silver coins, both Ottoman and of the knights of Rhodes!!!!

 

By that find archeologists realised that no matter the war between the Turks and the Knights, the commerce never stoped!!! the ottoman coins were from that time, and the knight coins too! Actually in the knight coins there were some excellent examples of coins that were extremely rare to find or... it was the first time they were seeing a coin like that! So this find gave us a treasure and a historic info about the period!

 

here are some photos I found in the net... to show you the church...

 

1) the church when the road was seperating it....

 

2) the main door and wall that was later used as part of the houses...

 

3) the holy area of the church... (where the priests are...)

[+Highland Horde]

11 days left

[+goosefraba1]

Gatoulis would make an awesome tour guide for Rhodes

[+GATOULIS]

Gatoulis would make an awesome tour guide for Rhodes

 

 

And some info are not so well know to others... even to locals!

 

I love history and I read a lot! so...

 

One day I was talking with my girlfriend and told her something for a place in her village that she didn't know!!!

 

Near Kritinia there is a very old monastery called Amartos! the church is for Panagia (Virgin Mary)!

 

There are ruing of a medieval tower there where the citizents used to watch if pirates were coming and the were making fire signals to other towers and castles..

 

There is a cave nearby with holy water! It is a spring that is coming from inside the rock or the mountain... and it is said that it heals eye problems etc... well....

 

If you see closer in the area and near the sea (way down from the newer monastery), you might see ruins from houses as well! these are from houses from about 10 families from Chalki island which is near! they came here, took the permission from the Grand master of the knights (they came in the medieval times of course!) and stayed there, build their homes...

We do not know what happent to them.. maybe they went back to Chalki or they went to live in Kritinia village...

 

Anyway.... my girlfriend and many of the village knew that the monastery there is for Virgin Mary and the name Amartos means without sins! But... it is not like that!!!

 

In the byzantine and medieval times, there was a monastery there of St. Martha! In greek this was Agia Martha! Years were passing and in the language of the villagers it started changing into Agia Marta!

 

Here in Greece we use to cut a little the "Agios" and say "Ai" ! for example... Agios Georgios (George) will go (and most of the times you will here it like that), Ai Giorgis!

 

So... the Agia Martha became Agia Marta..... Aia Marta..... and finally into AMartos

 

The monastery was destroyed so the new one took that name but as a Vergin's mary monastery!

 

I also told her about a murder that happent there in the old times... that she didn't know....

A villager from a close village, took money as a loan from the priest there! He didn't gave them back and when the priest asked them, he went and killed the priest and his wife! He was afraid that they will caught him so he left the priest's wife lying down dead and hide the priest's body, he burried it so others will think that the priest killed his wife and left!

 

The police started searching and after some time, they found the body and of course the murderer!

 

This happent a long long time ago... probably during the ottoman occupation of the early Italian occupation of the islands!!!

 

Now something to know.... if you visit the medieval town of the city of Rhodes you will see many small monasteries inside! they have names etc, but... the truth is that archeologists didn't know if most of the churches are the ones with that name! What I mean... they have a list wit the names of the churches that were inside the walls, but in many of them, they didn't know where exactly were, so... they gave the names without knowing if the church is the right one! I am not talking for all but for many of them! right? In some you could see a fresco or had icons so they knew....

 

In St. Fanourios Church, you can see the grave of the man who builded the church in the church!!

[+GATOULIS]

Ok... I still have stories about colossus and Diagoras.... and for the 2 great sieges of the city from the Turks...... I knowother stories too but I can not tell them all!!!! I will leave some mystery so you can visit my island!

 

Medieval walls are great but the ancient Rhodian walls were huge! that huge that when Romans with their general Kassius who had studied philosofy etc here in Rhodes, took the city (for the first time from 408BC) in 42BC, he ordered to destroy all the city walls and never to build them again! He was afraid that if they were going to rebuild them... it would have been impossible to take the city again! When Kassius left Rhodes, he took many statues with him... statues that were on the Rhodian roads...

It is said that he took 3000 statues!!!

 

In case you want to see the Rhodian art... you can always see Laokoon statue, or... the Nike of Samothrace!!! YES!!! The Nike of Samothrace is a Rhodian Statue!!! The base of the statue showed the front part of a Rhdian battle ship! Rhodians placed this statue of Nike in Samothrace, after a great naval victory that had there between them and ancient pirates!

 

** in ancient Greece, nike had wings to fly, but in some cities they were cuting her wings, so she couldn't fly and go away! By that they thought that they will have vistories all the time!

 

Rhodian navy was a very strong one and once rulled Aegean sea! They were also great in commerce! Rhodian Amphorea were found even in Krimea (in Ukraine) and in other places!!!

Some parts of the navy rules that we use now are coming from the ancient Rhodian rules for navy!

 

anyway.. I will post photos to see the statues...

They are not in Greece! The nike is in the Luvre and the Laokoon in the Vatican museum!

 

Titus the Roman emperror love Rhodes and desided to stay here for some years! When he was leaving he demanded to take as a present the Laookoon statue complex! Rhodiand couldn't say no... so... we lost the statue! I think in 1551 it was found in Italy and it was taken to the Pope there! From that time it is in the Vatican museum! Iti s said that because a part of a hand was missing, the pope asked Michelangelo to restore it but he said no! He couldn't reach the finnes of the art of the statue! His words were something like that...

 

The statue shows the time when the high priest of Troy Laokook and his 2 sons are being killd bu the snakes that came out of the sea (and Gods send them to punish him)!

In trojan war, when the Greeks made the Trojan horse, Laokoon was the only one who understood that it was a trick to fool the Trojans! He said the: Fear the greeks who bring presents!

Trojans didn't believe him and thought it was a present for God Poseidon! Laokoon got ungry and threw his spear to the belly of the horse! Poseidon who was with Greeks at that time, send 2 huge snakes that came out of the sea and killed Laokoon and his sons....

 

The statue is from one piece of marble and was made by the Rhodians Agisandros, Athinodoros, and Polidoros!

 

Here is the nike of Samothrace...

 

 

Here is the Laokoon statue....

 

 

Here is the detail of the Laokoon head! This is the moment he is dying... can you see the fear and the pain? WOW!!!

 

[+GATOULIS]

Ok... and something small that you will not find in the net or in a book... yet!

 

the knights were changing the medieval walls of the city all the time! that was becasue of the new weapons that were out...

 

What I mean... at first the walls were thin and very tall! the walls had outside towers that were not connected with the walls.. except maybe from a wooden bridge...

 

the city had more gates etc... later when canons came they had to change the look of the walls! now they were thicker (except the part of the port that they didn't expect enemies from there, so they kept the old style walls...), not so high,, they had a moat now, they put tons of earth between the walls so the canon balls will lose their power..., the towers were now part of the walls, gates were closed, and they also make new style walls with a slope so the canons will not have a direct hit!

 

while they were making the walls thicker, they had to destroy some of the houses and building in the city! One of them was a church! Most probably it was a famous church that the Rhodians loved! So they couldn't do that! They would face problems!!! So.... what they did???

 

they lft the church alone, but they entered it in the walls! The walls instead of going straight, in that area they had a small bend...

 

Years have past and the church was forgoten! Archeologists found it again! Not much was left of course... moisture and time destroyed almost all the paintings of the saints... so we do not know to which saint the church was dedicated! Only a part of a wall painting is left, but I haven't seen it! It is dark, it is dangerous and it is not open to the public! there is a gap there of 6 meters, and if you fell....

 

Anyway.... the amazing in this story is that Ottomans never learned about this church and what the knights did! If they knew, that the area there was empty... (the church was like a cave, so the walls were nto solid there...) they would have put a canon there and in 2 days the most... the wall would fell and the city would be taken!! This was kept a secret for so many years!!!! WOW!!!

 

Near that area, there is the St. George bastion! when the walls were first made, this part was a gate! the gate had an outside tower for defence! Later, for better defence, the gate was closed and the tower was connected to the main wall! The bastion was born! It was very strong and the defenders could live inside! It even had toilets inside, something that was not common in medieval times!!!

 

I know many details for the walls, the defending way of the knights etc, but.. except that my english are not so good to make you understand, my post would be so boring...

So I will not say anyting...

[+GATOULIS]

Where is everybody? come on... post some stories here! Iti s so nice to read!

[+goosefraba1]

Alright Alright.... Since it is late I am just going to copy and paste from Wiki. The image uploader is down right now, but I have all kinds of pictures from my wife and I going to Point Pleasant on a day trip.

 

On November 15, 1966, two young, married couples from Point Pleasant, Roger and Linda Scarberry, and Steve and Mary Mallette, were traveling late at night in the Scarberrys' car. They were passing the West Virginia Ordnance Works, an abandoned World War II TNT factory, about seven miles north of Point Pleasant, in the 2,500 acre (10 km²) McClintic Wildlife Management Area, when they supposedly noticed two red lights in the shadows by an old generator plant near the factory gate. They stopped the car, and reportedly discovered that the lights were the glowing red eyes of a large animal, "shaped like a man, but bigger, maybe six and a half or seven feet tall, with big wings folded against its back," according to Roger Scarberry. Terrified, they drove toward Route 62, where the creature supposedly chased them at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour.

 

A plaque on the Mothman statue provides a version of the original legend: "On a chilly, fall night in November 1966, two young couples drove into the TNT area north of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, when they realized they were not alone." Driving down the exit road, they saw the supposed creature standing on a nearby ridge. It spread its wings and flew alongside the vehicle up to the city limits. They drove to the Mason County courthouse to alert Deputy Millard Halstead, who later said, "I've known these kids all their lives. They'd never been in any trouble and they were really scared that night. I took them seriously." He then followed Roger Scarberry's car back to the secret ex-U.S. Federal bomb and missile factory, but found no trace of the strange creature. According to the book Alien Animals, by Janet and Colin Bord, a poltergeist attack on the Scarberry home occurred later that night, during which the creature was seen several times.

The plaque on the Mothman statue

 

The following night, on November 16, several armed townspeople combed the area around the TNT plant for signs of Mothman. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Wamsley, and Mrs. Marcella Bennett, with her infant daughter Teena, were in a car en-route to visit their friends, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Thomas, who lived in a small house near the igloos (concrete dome-shaped dynamite storage structures erected during WW-II) near the TNT plant. The igloos were now empty, some owned by the county, others by companies intending to use them for storage. They were heading back to their car when a figure supposedly appeared behind their parked vehicle. Mrs. Bennett said that it seemed like it had been lying down, slowly rising up from the ground, large and gray, with glowing red eyes. While Wamsley phoned the police, the creature supposedly walked onto the porch and peered in at them through the window.

 

On November 24, four people allegedly saw the creature flying over the TNT area. On the morning of November 25, Thomas Ury, who was driving along Route 62 just north of the TNT, claimed to have seen the creature standing in a field, and then it spread its wings and flew away, and Thomas sped toward the Point Pleasant sheriff's office.[2]

 

A supposed Mothman sighting was again reported on January 11, 1967 hovering over the town's bridge, and several other times that same year. Fewer sightings of the Mothman were reported after the collapse of the town's bridge, the Silver Bridge, when 46 people died. The Silver Bridge, so named for its aluminium paint, was an eyebar chain suspension bridge that connected the cities of Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Gallipolis, Ohio over the Ohio River. The bridge was built in 1928, and it collapsed on December 15, 1967. Investigation of the bridge wreckage pointed to the failure of a single eye-bar in a suspension chain due to a small manufacturing flaw. There are rumors that the Mothman appears before upcoming disasters and seems to try to warn people of them. After that, mothman was never again seen in Point Pleasant.

 

I will have to update this when I have a chance... but we have pictures in front of this cool statue.

 

 

Also.... Point Pleasant is also know for being the first site of the Revolutionary war. From what I understand the British payed the Indians to fight against the Americans. More from Wiki:

 

The town is also noted for the October 10, 1774, Battle of Point Pleasant, in which Virginia militiamen led by Colonel Andrew Lewis defeated an Algonquin Confederation of Shawnee and Mingo warriors led by Shawnee Chief Cornstalk. The event is celebrated in Point Pleasant as the first battle of the American Revolutionary War, and in 1908 the US Senate authorized erection of a monument to commemorate Point Pleasant as the site of the first battle of the American Revolution. Most historians, however, regard it not as a battle of the Revolution but instead as a part of Lord Dunmore's War.

 

Again... we have more pictures near this giant obelisk.... bu the uploader is down :/

 

Point PLeasant is actually a pretty cool little town. It sits on the confluence of the Kanawha and the Ohio rRivers. George Washington was posted at the very nearby Ft Randolph for a short time. The town hosts a festival every year in September to commemorate the Mothman and the Silver Bridge. The Town was featured in a movie "The Mothman Prophecies".

 

I guess it is related to geocaching just because the idea of History being tied in with most of the caches in that town.

[+GATOULIS]

Hmm.... about the mothman... was it a movie about that?

 

I think During in WWI or WWII soldiers also saw a similar thing above the battlefield and they were scared! Both parts saw this!!! when the battle happent it was a very bloody one and many got killed!

 

some say that these appeared to warn people for a disaster and others say that they are some kind of demons who feel the death and the blood and the disaster it is going to happen there.... who knows??

[+GATOULIS]

Ok... I was thinking to write about Colossus or Diagoras, but since we went to supernatural (which I love...) I will place some strange stories too!

 

there are some very old small churches in the islands here! Some have some strange stories to tell...

 

the churches are small and many are destroyed so for many years none knew that these were churches! Some were not build but they were caves or small openings in a rock...

 

Some of these churches are in strange places! that is because the icon was found there.... completely alone, nothing was near the area...

 

Many stories exist that shepherds used to see a light on the top of a mountain, or in a cave... far away from them! They went to see what it was and found the holy icon (very old icons...), the villagers of the nearby village were taking the icon in their church and the next morning the icon was missing and it was back where it was found... and again and again... until the villagers realise that the Saint wanted to stay there so they built a church there... I will post a story abou it.... later...

 

There are other stories that men didn't know that there was a church there....and... they paid the price!!!

 

Once apon a time... there was a shepherd in Leros island who had his sheeps closed in a ruined small building from the old times! He found it like that and he had turned it in a sheepfold! as a sheepfold... the building was not clean.....

 

One night the shepherd had a dream..... he saw a man telling him to take his sheeps out of his house otherwise he will be punished!

 

The shapherd didn't do anything... after all.. it was just a dream!

 

the next night he saw the same dream! This time the strange man was a little ungry.... "I told you to take your sheeps out of my house! Stop dirtying my home! Do it or you will be punished!"

 

The shepherd was worried a little but he couldn't realize what this man meant!

 

Once again the man came in his dreams! It was the third time.... He was furious....

 

the next morning the shepherd went to the sheepfold and he was socked! all his sheeps were dead! He was desperate and he said the story to the other villagers! they went and checked the building... they found that it was a very old church of St. George!

 

A similar story was said by an old woman for a church here! It was very hard to see that it was a church because it was a small oppening in a rock... a tiny cave!! The shepherd saw an old man dressed like a sea man! He told him that this was his house and to take his sheeps out of it! the rest of the story is more or less known...

 

The church was of St. Nicolas the protector of the sea men! It is close to me!

[+GATOULIS]

Ok... here is the story of the most famous church in Rhodes, Panagia Tsambika!

 

According to the legents... a shepherd from Archangellos village used to see a light like a tiny spark of fire up on the hill! Of couse I am talking for the old times... right?

 

The hill was 326 meters high and there was nothing there! the spepherd used to see the light every night, so he desided to go and see what this was! there he found a small and very old icon! It showed Virgin Mary! with a mirracle way, the icon was from Cyprus!!! Cypriots came and took it back to their island but again in a mysterious way the icon was back again on the top of the mountain! they did that many times but the icon was returning so they agreed that the icon wanted to stay there! So the villagers from archangelos builded a small church there for the icon and for Virgin Mary! The church was named Panagia Tsambika and that comes from the word Tsamba which means spark so the name means the Virgin Mary of the light....

This church is very famous in something....

women that can not have chidren are goin up there to pray and many after that have children!! when their children are born they are bringing them in the church and baptize them Tsambikos or Tsambika to honor the Panagia! this name is only here in Rhodes! If you hear it in an other place, the family came here.....to pray in the church

Not only Orthdox Christians are coming to pray and ask for help but many foreigners too! I have seen Japanese coming for that, and they were not even Christians!

 

when you visit the church, you may also see babies made of wax, or huge candles! These are the gifts to Panagia as a thank you!

 

It is said that there is a hole uphill that from there the icon came out! You can hear from the hole people from Cyprus talking etc, but to tell you the truth.... I have never even seen this hole!

 

an other version of the story says that the spepherd foung the icon hanging from a tree... so from that it was named Tsambika (tsambi is the bunch {of grapes}....)

 

A newer church was build near the area but it is close to the road and not up to the hill! the ancient icon (it is said that apostole Lucas made it!) is now in the chuch down which is much bigger! there you will see a bigger icon too! But the one I am talking about is small!!! They brought the icon down so thiefs will not take it!

 

Now... all that belong to tradition... so what historians, archeologists etc say about it?

 

According to them, the name was taken bacasue the hill in the ancient times had the name Zamviki! Rhodians used that name for a musical instrument and for a of a ship's type Rhodians were making!

From that name... the Tsambika came out....

 

On the top of the hill there was an ancient temple of Artemis, and it was made in the 5th or 4th century BC!

Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, but as she was a virgin, she was also the protector ofthe women, especially for the pregnant women or the ones who were new mothers!

ancient Rhodian women used to go uphill to pray and ask from Artemis to give them a baby, boy or girl! when Christianism came, Artemis was replaced by Virgin Mary and women continued to go uphill to pray for a baby!!!!

 

Ruins of the temple are not easily seen! Many tmes stones and parts of the ancient temples were used to build the new Christian temples! So...

 

stories like that are many in greece! People have seen amazing things and all these legents were kept alive till our days!

I even had a strange experiense but... I do nto know if that story fits here....

 

anyway.... I will write it in my next post!