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New category - Ancient Coastal Landmarks


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I have created a new group and want to discuss and create interest in this group.

 

The group link is:

http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.aspx?f=1&guid=c7660624-f4b1-4504-830f-e3d52a747f0d

 

Here is the group text:

description/mission statement:

Our grandfathers of days gone by, placed marks along coastal hills. Typically made of a pile of stones, these served as marks and were the first aids-to-navigation that helped fisherman and other mariners navigate their way, before the advent of modern navigational aids including lighthouses, buoys, and today's GPS.

 

Proverbs 22:28 - "Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."

 

The purpose of this group is to create and manage a category that allows users to document these ancient marks. There are many of these marks in Newfoundland, Canada, but I am guessing these exist around the world. I will try to document a couple of these Newfoundland marks this summer, and maybe more when time allows. I am hoping that some people who know what I am talking about exactly can become officers and help me with this interesting Waymarking category.

 

I would also like to encourage people of good health and strength to take a little time to restore such marks that may have fallen or been dismantled.

 

I am thinking this category would be placed under the parent group "Structures".

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To explain a bit further, these ancient coastal landmarks are essentially the very first aids-to-navigation that mariners had. In theory it could be argue they are a form of Daymark, but the discriminating difference is daymarks were built by government agencies and are registered as official daymarks. The category I am proposing does not cover these, but does cover landmarks that were built by mariners themselves for their use. Ironically these same fishermen used them sometimes when in land. They would 'tie their boat ashore', make reference to a nearby landmark, and then go in-land for the purpose of hunting, berry picking, etc. Then when returning to their boat they would the landmark to help them walk back the right way.

 

I would argue these ancient coastal landmarks are one of the original 'waymarks' that people placed on this wonderful Earth. They didn't have modern aids-to-navigation until later in life. Newfoundland (a province of Canada) has a fair few of these, and these marks were typically placed in the later part of the 1800s.

 

I would be very surprised if these marks to not exist in other places in the world. Most Newfoundland fisherman and mariners immigrated from coastal towns of English and Ireland, and many of the traditional ways of those places were brought to the 'new world' as it is often called.

 

I am asking fellow waymarkers from around the world to join this group, with the intent of becoming officer to support this intriguing group. I have included a couple pictures that show specifically the type of waymark / landmark I am referring to.

 

2433561907_2038cba1ff.jpg

 

rocks.jpg

 

Thank you for your time and interest!

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I was thinking that too, but according to Waymarking.com a Cairn is:

  • Cairns are purposly placed significant mounds of rocks placed as locations of memorial, spiritual protection or for prayer.
  • Modern cairns are erected as memorials & prayer markers for loved ones lost, these of course have a place here.

 

What I am talking about are not that. They have nothing to do with religion or spirituality.

 

All that just said I now see in the Expanded Description that they are placed for a number of reason including navigation. Perhaps the Cairns initial description could include a line referring to navigation?

 

If a few others could chime in with their opinions that would be much appreciated. If other agree with me then please join the group, but if the general consensus is that this Cairns already encompasses that then I am happy to delete the group.

 

Thanks for your feedback. :)

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As an officer in the cairns category, I can tell you that these would certainly be accepted here. Cairns do NOT have to have a religious significance. They often mark trail intersections, mountain tops, village entrances, and other landmarks such as the example you've given. Some are ancient, some modern; some magnificent, some just a pile of rocks; some in excellent condition, some in various stages of deterioration. Whatever their purpose, they are welcome in the cairn category.

 

What we do NOT want are mountings for plaques, statues, etc. that just happen to be made of stone. They, may appear to be cairns, but really are not. Change the rock to brick or concrete, and one will see that it is just a mounting for something else. Stone is just the building material for the monument. There may be some gray areas, but true cairns are pretty easily identified.

 

I also think that by limiting these to COASTAL landmarks, the category would be too restrictive and lacking the necessary prevalence to be viable.

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Thanks folks. I have turned off enrollment, but I cannot find where to delete the group, nor I can I find in the info pages where/how to do it. Do I contact an admin to do it?

I don't know that you can delete the group but if you turn off enrollment and then quit the group it be fine.

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