Effigy

The best part of a man's life,  the most cherished of his memories, is the pleasure found in his hobbies.  I didn't discover this gem of wisdom, until I was 45 years old. Without question, I had toyed with one hobby or another throughout my younger days, but now I went to work only to make a living, and lived for my days off to enjoy my newfound joy in finding Indian artifacts.  It all began at Atlanta State Park in Northeast Texas.  The park is located on Lake Wright Patman.  If nothing else, the park was the site of many beautiful sunsets.  

  Photo credit:  Al Vinson from 16 mm Minolta - Atlanta State Park, Lake Wright Patman  

    In collecting arrowheads and other artifacts, I had no idea that this newfound hobby was against the law.  Actually, most of my early collecting was done on private land.  Then, in blissful ignorance, I extended my search to rivers, lakes and parks. Fifteen or twenty years later, I learned that removal of artifacts from the banks of rivers, government lakes, state and federal parks, even surface collected materials, was illegal.  With full and  complete understanding that "blissful ignorance" is no excuse in terms of law, I offer my confession to this blatant crime.  

 

Photo Credit:  Al Vinson from 35mm Canon  Arrows surround finding from islands on Lake Sam Rayburn, in Texas. 

   Certainly, archeologist frown on removing any object from it's resting place, and digging is a definite "no, no."  Even though I was not a "digger" and restricted my hunts to surface > collecting, after learning the rules of the game,  I immediately returned every last arrowhead and artifact to the exact spot where it was found.  

  Photo Credit:  Al Vinson from 35mm Canon.
  Bird points, arrows and spearpoints 
from Lake Palestine and Lake Wright Patman.  

Luckily, I was fortunate and farsighted enough to make photos of the collection, and you'll see many of them on these windows.

  Artist rendition of the island where the

Pottery was found.   Painting by Irene Moore, Palestine.

Photo Credit:  Al Vinson from 35mm Canon Pottery from island on Lake Palestine...see artist conception right

  First, I would like to tell you about my friends, John and Kathy G., who joined me in many fun-filled hours searching for arrows and other artifacts. John's  number one  goal was to find an Indian effigy.  We had seen them pictured in the pages of magazines devoted to the hobby.  We had found arrows, spear points, Indian knives, parts of pipes and many other treasured objects, but never an effigy.   I decided that John must have an effigy to satisfy his soul, and it wasn't easy.  I'll tell you, right up front, I finally had to find the effigy   myself.  He stumbled past it, and I "discovered" the effigy right in his footprints on the waters edge.  It was in the exact spot where I had placed it, minutes before.  I want you see the effigy, a "Ram's Head" from out of the past.  

   

Picture Credit:   "The Effigy" Digital Photo by Sean Dupre

  I don't know the exact age of this "artyfact."  I bought it at Curiosity Railroad Salvage only two weeks before "finding" it on the shores of Lake Sam Rayburn.  It began as a small planting pot for cactus or other plants.  One end of the little clay pot had a "Ram's Head" for decoration.  Well, it just presented itself as a perfect effigy, and I set out to make it so.   I broke away most of the pot and then went to work with my trusty Dremel tool.  Stroking away all of the mold marks, I then used a small torch and sandpaper to remove the glossy finish which would have been a dead giveaway.  Next, I splashed it with black shoe polish.  Again I applied the torch to melt the gloss from the polished areas, and "Eureka" an effigy. Since I had made the find, it was mine, and John was almost begging to let him keep it for a few days to show his friends.  I finally gave in, and he was so proud to have it in his possession.  He carried it everywhere he went for the next two weeks, showing one and all a real effigy. Of course, there soon came a time when it was only right that I tell John the truth.  He accepted it with, I know, mixed emotions.  You could hear him for a mile, and I had never seen him lose his cool before.  He never touched me, never landed a blow. 

   Photo Credit:  35mm Canon by Al Vinson:  Kathy, John and Denise  

Sadly, it was not long after this little incident,  John, Kathy and daughter Denise,  made the decision to move back north.  John was needed back home. He took over the family farm for his ailing father. I hope John is now searching for another effigy in the corn and soybean fields back home in Indiana.     We had so many happy hours together.  Artifact hunting eventually led to collecting rocks, gems and minerals.  Our forays even took us to the diamond field at Murfreesboro, Arkansas.  John built cutting and polishing machines at his place in Lufkin, and I labored hard, learning to cut, polish and facet the stones we had collected. I treasure their friendship, and miss them dearly.  I pray this little prank had nothing to do with their return to Indiana. I often reflect on the thought they may still be my friends, had I not manufactured a genuine   "effigy."  

Photo Credit:  Al Vinson 35mm Canon  

   

  Photo Credit:  Andy Dupre' Alex Dupre on Padre Island "The hunt goes on!"  

Al Vinson