ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONFIRMATIONS

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our Archaeologist and dear friend Jack Hranicky.

We met Jack (when he was 69 years old, in 2010) through a referral from the Virginia State archaeology office, after finding rocks lying in circles on our property. The representative said, if anyone would know, Jack would know if these circles were Native American or Paleo Indian influenced.

Before showing Jack this site, we talked on the phone. He listed several characteristics that he needed in order to confirm this site. 

To prove his point, we took many photographs. Our first Summer Solstice was on June 21, 2011. During the 2012 Fall Equinox, this photo went viral.

On Aug. 23, 2011 Jack helped us break ground for the first excavation into the concentric rings. He picked a five-foot-square area to dig, carefully numbering every rock and setting it aside, to be replaced later. 

Upon breaking ground, we experienced a 5.8 earthquake for 10-20 seconds. We often wondered if we awoke the Spirits that day. As it turned out, the Earth Quaked, and Jake was in our life to stay.

By October 2011, Jack had enough facts to announce Spout Run as the oldest extant above ground site in North America. “Although archaeological sites have been discovered across the United States, there’s nothing like this above ground or this old in North America,” Jack said in his interview with the Clarke County news paper that broke the story. This was the papers biggest story in its history with 8,004 views.

Jack then interviewed with the Winchester Star, turning out their biggest story for that year also. Associated Press and Native Times also picked up the story.

Jack had many interviews and said, “I had to wait 70 years to find a site like this.” 

During our first year with Jack, we spent the summer solstice (June), fall equinox (around Sept. 22-23)  and winter solstice (Dec. 21-22) climbing over rocks and measuring lines of site using solar alignments.

We spent countless hours with Jack looking at "little bitty tools" while he enjoyed a hot cup of decaf and an occasional piece of pecan pie.

By December 2011, our Spout Run Paleo Indian site received an official site number (44CK151) from the Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR) adding it to the state’s inventory of archaeological sites.

In February 2012, Jack and Chris found rockart or petroglyphs. In April 2012, Jack was thrilled to have his first article about Spout Run Paleo Indian site in the Central States Archaeological Journal Vol 59 April 2012 No. 2 (Page 86).

Jack loved taking about archaeology and giving a voice to the people and artifacts from these sacred sites that dotted the tri-state region. 

​By March 2014, a jasper scrapper tool (that Chris discovered during the excavation) that Jack sent off to University of Washington, came back Thermoluminescence (TL) dated for 10,470 years last used. This launched a series of events. 

The next month (April 2014), Jack released his first abstract about Spout Run. NBC News interviewed and aired the program on May 15, 2014 partnered with the Winchester Star newspaper. They both used a new massive and strong story titled, local site twice as old as Stonehenge.

Then came Jack's PBS feature.

Local authors like Michael Dowling supported Jack's work and findings with numerous articles. 

Before we knew it, we celebrated our 4th year anniversary with Jack, visiting his favorite Pine Grove restaurant for his usual decaf and local special. Jack's  relentless contributions changed the landscape of our community’s history and our family’s lives.

Stories about Jack reached around the globe and were translated into various languages. 

SPIRITUAL CONFIRMATIONS

By July 2014, something Jack did not know, was that in addition to a large archaeology following,  spiritual leaders studying ancient "solar observatories" followed his work. 

"The profound mystery of the advanced unified purpose of these ancient stone circle temples and ancient monument alignments is now coming to light through the research at hundreds of such sites worldwide," said Alex Putney with Human Resonance.org.  ​

 "Ancient sacred sites are calling attuned healers into resonance, and we are responding to the call," Human Resonance added in an analysis in the Winchester Star article about Jack's work. "These concentric stone circles represent the prime force of infrasound, the deep and all-penetrating universal 'Om' that is associated with the Creational essence and is concentrated by these standing stone monuments due to their geometric relationship with the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt."

Using Jack's findings and coordinates, Human Resonance reported that Spout Run is "5,852 miles from Giza, or 23.5% of the Earth's mean circumference distance (of 24,892 miles). This sacred resonant distance is aligned with converging infrasound standing waves in a pattern shared by all such monuments and all other sacred temples and pyramids worldwide - with the giant Stonehenge monument sitting precisely at the 9.0% distance, while Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth sit exactly along the resonant 10.0% distance."

When we met Jack, we did not tell him that we were a Native American Church. Nor did we tell Jack that the reason Chris found the circles in the first place, was because he was searching for a place to give thanks and create a stone medicine wheel. 

Imagine our surprise when Jack told us that this site was where he believed "an Indian 'priest' would find it an advantage to know when summer offered the best work climate, marked by the summer solstice, and when the season was drawing to a close and cold weather was on the way (the fall equinox).

He said, such times would be natural days for social celebrations of some type, he added. “They visited this place for a reason, like going to church.”

Jack did not know we were gifted our Native American Church and trademarked this place Sanctuary on the Trail, prior to finding the stone circles and meeting him. 

From working with Jack, our spiritual journey has become more complete. We have asked ourselves questions that we may not have asked. 

Does an "Outside Force" exist? Is there a thing such as a "Spiritual Draw?" Where does "Faith" come from? What do you really believe and have faith towards? These things are of a spiritual nature," explained Chris in a series of videos we posted about the Paleo-Indian site.

Jack's influence in our lives led to partnerships and events that would not have happened otherwise with: Bears Den, Clermont Farm, Bluemont Citizens Association, State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy, Barns of Rose Hill, Bluemont Community Center, Shenandoah University Mesoamerica students,George Mason University, Boy/Girl Scouts of America, elders of the American Indian Movement, National Museum of the Native American Indian, Lumbee Tribe and the Virginia Governor to name a few. Events included The Gathering 2015 & 2017 and Indian Village 2016-2018. 

​All of this lead to President Obama recognizing Chris and Rene' with the President's Call to Service Award for more than 8,000 hours of volunteer service. Our accomplishments are a result of Jack's influence.

As we collectively move toward a higher resonance, our growing awareness brings us together in alignment at convergence points. Ancient sacred sites, we believe Jack was called to record, help awake these sites for today's healers to do good work.

In the Bible, Isaiah 61:4 says, "They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

Jack gave voice to a people long passed and created space in our present to pause and remember the Paleo Indian ancestors.

It is our hope that Jack's work will continue to serve as a testament that people lived in North America beyond 10,000 years ago, they worshiped and  they mattered. 

Maybe Jack is a standing now like wave of energy living among those ancients he represented. 

Jack was a Virginia Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) credited with authoring 32 books on North America’s prehistory and discoverer of over a half-a-dozen other Native American solstice sites.

​These are some of the ways Jack touched our lives. We knew Jack for 10 years. During this time, Jack records 13 sacred sits dating back as far as 17,000 years before present.

Let us give Jack the last words. After ending a discovering he always said, "Well we did it folks!"

BLUEMONT, VA -- An 11-year-old Boy Scout found a fossilizing horse tooth around the triangle formation at the Paleo-Indian site here this week. Carter Tarbet was one of seven Boy Scouts from Troop 743 Round Hill, Virginia in Loudoun County who helped clear land to help with an upcoming 3D-scanning when he discovered the tooth.
     Describing the boys, Dave Tarbet 743 Troop Leader said, "They don't think about thousands of years ago. People lived here and left things behind."
     Dave is also Carter's father, and sounded proud that his son found the old horse tooth. 
     "It is eye opening for the boys to find something right here in their back yard," Dave added.
     This is the second horse tooth found here. Chris White, property owner, found the first fossilizing horse-tooth near the concentric rings last year. Evidence across America indicates the horse was here well before Columbus. The horse became extinct after the last Ice Age, some 9,000 years ago
     "We have not date tested the teeth, but it looks and feels very old," Chris said.
     Other artifacts excavated here over the past five years show this site was last use 10,470 years ago.
   "The boys helped a great deal and earned their archaeology merit badge and Indian lore merit badge for helping us," said Chris who has been working to preserve the site, since he discovered it over five years ago.
    "The boys had a great time and enjoyed seeing all the different parts of the property and understanding the uses," Dave added.

Thanks for visiting the Paleo-Indian site from the Banshee Reeks Archeology Society of Virginia:

• Bob Shuey Registered Professional Archeologist
• Hayden W. Mathews BRASV Chapter President/Environmental Historian
• Susan Grealy Rock Creek Companies
• Frank Mclaughlin ASV
  

Sanctuary on the Trail™ -- Shenandoah University Professor Dr. Bryan Pearce-Gonzales and eight students from his Mesoamerican civilizations class studied the Paleo-Indian site here today. Some of the students called it a "once in a lifetime possibility" to visit such an old and historic site.
    “I am teaching a class this semester on Mesoamerican civilizations, primarily the Olmec, Maya and Mexica people and their cultures,” said Dr. Pearce-Gonzales SU Department of World Languages & Cultures. “Our approach to these Mesoamerican civilizations has begun with a look at the Paleoindian peoples who first came to the Americas.
    The historical/archaeological tour included the concentric rings, triangle with stacked rocks and discussion about artifacts and dating techniques.
    “I am so grateful to you and your husband for making this trip a possibility and for sharing such an incredible piece of human history with my class and the greater community,” said Dr. Pearce-Gonzales in an email to the site’s custodians.

    Shenandoah University's World Languages & Cultures Department seeks to prepare students to be true Global Citizens. In addition to instruction in Spanish, French, German and English as a Second Language, they promote community service in the target language and study abroad opportunities around the world.
    These small, interactive classes are led by professors like Dr. Pearce-Gonzales who combine cutting-edge scholarship with individualized attention to help students develop to their fullest potential.

Sanctuary on the Trail™ - Site owners of the Paleo-Indian site in Northern Virginia are seeking experts knowledgeable in paleo-indian pre-history. The couple have results from a 5-year study that includes notes from the 2011 Archaeological Excavation, a final report ready for peer review and artifacts.
     Jasper (below) discovered early in level B confirmed the presence of human usage at the site. Jasper does not occur in outcrops above the site; thus, it had to be carried into the site.
     Jasper is assumed to be from the Front Royal area and related to the Paleoindian occupation of the Shenandoah River; however, it could have been retrieved from the Shenandoah River.

      The jasper below, found during the excavation, amplifies the site’s Paleoindian association. It has a heavily redden area; also it has likens from lying under the ground for 12,000 years.

      This jasper thumbnail scraper is a classic Paleoindian artifact; especially noted is the spur graver (above). The spur was examined microscopically (400x) and shows striations. Both faces have length-wise parallel flake scars. The spur was used, and the scraper end shows signs of being used.
     The tool is unusually small and was found on the northeastern corner of the excavated square. It was heat treated.

     The University of Washington conducted thermoluminescence (TL) dating that confirms the artifacts last use at 10,470 years before present.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA - Three archaeologists from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) office and a hydrogeologist from Maryland visited the Paleo-Indian site here today.
     Tom Klatka, archaeologist from DHR’s community services division regional offices Western Regional Preservation Office (Roanoke College, Salem) provided sound advice and recommendations to site owners into the importance of preservation. Tom advocates for local communities and helps get their voices heard. He has 26 years’ experience as an archaeologist.
     DHR’s division of Preservation Incentives Easements Joanna Wilson Green, archaeologist and Michael Clem, archaeologist and easement program stewardship coordinator, helped confirm the rarity of finding jasper which is not indigenous to this portion of Northern Virginia.      DHR is the State Historic Preservation Office in Virginia responsible for fostering, encouraging and supporting the stewardship of Virginia's significant historic architectural, archaeological and cultural resources.
     Dennis Cumbie, CPG groundwater hydro-geologist, from Rockledge LLC., Sharpsburg Maryland, shed light on the natural occurrences of stone formations as they developed millions of years ago. He also suggested the site owners get opinions from quaternary geomorphology experts. Dennis is a senior level hydrogeologist with 18+ years experience in water supply investigation, ground- and surface-water monitoring, water quality and watershed management.
     Site owners Chris and René White gave the 4-member team a tour of key features to include the concentric rings, stacked rock linage, alter, triangle formation and day clock.

     Discussions included the possibility of conducting future soil samples and additional Thermoluminescence (TL) dating. The team shared numerous suggestions for further research and analysis to include consulting with specialists from Virginia Tech University, James Madison University and University of Georgia.
     “We welcomed the team to observe and analyze our findings,” said Chris who discovered the above-ground Paleo-Indian site on his property in Northern Virginia. “The highlight of our conversation for me was how these ancient findings impact humanity at large and how we find relevance in our current world view.”

    Paleo-Indian site guardians Chris and René White with the Native American Church of Virginia, presented scientific data collected over five years of research to 26 people at historic Bears Den hosted by the Bluemont Civic Organization Tuesday, Oct. 14.
    Chris and René also showed hands on samples of artifacts and offered heritage t-shirts featuring local artist Abigail Beavin.

      People lived in Virginia for about 17,000 years before European contact.  The native people had no written language.  They recorded their historic events through storytelling and symbolic drawings.  Through patient work in the field and in the lab, archaeologists have reconstructed some of the history and lifeways of these first people by uncovering buried clues of their unwritten past.
     The ancient times are divided into three periods:  Paleoindian, Archaic, and Woodland.  The years after the arrival of the English are referred to as "European Contact." For information about these periods, select The Book link to the right.