Books
Patterns Found in Effigy Mounds Groups as a Symbol System
Author: Gary J. Maier
This book is the first to examine a series of mounds groups and show how repeating patterns found in the way the mounds are placed on the ground can be interpreted as a symbol system meant to communicate in earth writing aspects of the worldview of the Tribal ancestors responsible for their construction. As readers we have mastered the syntax that governs our English language and have learned how, by convention, to read our texts from left to right then down the page. The syntax governing the effigy symbol system uses four factors that provide the mounds group with dynamic meaning which also integrates aspects of the ethological adaptations of their Clan animal to seasonal change in the context of the role function of each Clan. The flow of a river, the contours of the terrain, the alignments of the sun on the horizon at the equinox and solstices and the alignment to the rise of the milky way all combine to provide dynamic direction to each group. The size of an effigy can act like topic sentence to provide a place to start to read the text. Since most mounds are considered “burial mounds” the effigy groups described in this book focus mainly on birth into the natural world, mortal death and re-birth into the spirit world. This is the second book by Dr. Maier which interprets effigy mounds groups and shows the maturation of his interpretive model.
Interpreting Sapiens’ Consciousness through Paleolithic Cave Art: The Lascaux Testament
Author: Gary J. Maier
This book is the first to identify an interpretive path through Paleolithic cave art that can provide plausible meaning to the animal figures in the Lascaux cave in France. The artwork was created during a period described as the Creative Explosion, spanning from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. The author has found that the artists, or shamans, have left clear evidence of aspects of their worldview and by using ethological evidence, such as a bison shedding its winter coat to identify spring as the season portrayed in a specific panel, he adds a level of certainty to his interpretations. In sum, this book argues that the cave art describes the journey of the soul from the spirit world to the natural world and back, and that it identifies a spectrum of consciousness involving the five traditional senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Moreover, the book explores the hunting strategies employed early survival groups which are depicted in the cave art. The role of the shamans’ impact on the artwork is also addressed.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Aug 8, 2023
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing; 1st edition (August 9, 2023)
Language: English
Hardcover: 351 pages
ISBN-10: 1527519007
ISBN-13: 978-1527519008
Item Weight: 1.2 pounds
Dimensions: 5.91 x 0.91 x 8.27 inches
The Eagles Voice : Tales Told by Indian Effigy Mounds
Author: Gary J. Maier, M.D.
In researching a group of about fifty Indian effigy and conical mounds on the north shore of Lake Mendota, at Madison, Wisconsin, Gary Maier came upon a new understanding of these structures, which have been a source of wonder and puzzlement to Europeans since the 1830s. In unearthing the meaning of the mounds as a form of earth writing, Maier also learned much about himself. This is, as one reader said, an exciting detective story, a personal journey through the mounds that will have significant meaning for all readers.
Prairie Oak Press, 2001
Publisher: Trails Books, 2001
Language: English
Hardcover: 145 pages
ISBN-10: 1879483742
ISBN-13: 9781879483743
Item Weight: 9.3 ounces
Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches