nattieconcepts: native american mounds

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

From Antiquity to Tranquility.. The Louisiana World Tour

On the road to Sicily Island, LA

When I began what would be the Last Louisiana World Tour of 2016 back in September, the plan was simple.

-->I was going to re-visit Sicily Island for some re-shoots, and then check out the Native American mounds that surround the area. BUT…then my car broke down and plans changed. (see last blog entry HERE..i know..just getting around to this one…don’t judge me, I’ve been busy…)

Suddenly car-less, I was determined to finish the re-shoots that I needed to get to complete the World Tour performance piece…so, with my handy Nissan Rental, I headed to Sicily Island, Copenhagen, Lisbon AND Athens…all in one day. I got the shots I wanted and, in keeping with the theme of the World Tour, then some.

-->

First, I found my way to Sicily Island where I got to see even more of the town than last time.. I didn’t know that was possible.

Sicily Island Town Hall

Gwen's Little Place

Sicily Island Library & Water Tower

Sicily Island, Louisiana

But most importantly, what I really wanted to capture was the Mediterranean charm of Sicily Island, Lake Louie. (also referred to as Lovelace Lake)

Sicily Island

--> Overlooking the lake was the vista of my original World Tour intent, Peck Mound.

Peck Mound 650-860CE

Peck Mound was occupied from 650 to 860 by the Troyville & Coles Creek Culture. Of the five mounds in the complex, only one is no longer visible.

I could have continued on as planned and explored the other mounds in the area, but I instead traveled onward to Copenhagen where I photographed familiar scenes, though this time around I did not get lost or maim a squirrel (click on the link to refresh your memory). I did, however, find myself surrounded by Forests and my Horse Friends.


Pine Forest, Copenhagen, Louisiana

Horse Friends

I also was able to capture a sparkly sign pic.

I still wanted to explore the Ancient World, so I drove a little further and reached another mound site, Wade Landing, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

The Road to Antiquity

Yet it is easily visible from the road…a little piece of antiquity with a giant mansion right next to it. According to the marker it is about 1000 years old and the cemetery on top of the mound helps to preserve it.

Wade Landing

Wade Landing, 1000 year old mound

Finally, it was time to head up north where I once again drove through the metropolis of Lisbon,

and picked a few new shots on my way to Athens.

Lisbon, Louisiana

Tiny Houses in Lisbon, Louisiana

I always shoot a tree in Lisbon, Louisiana

As I arrived in Athens in Northwest Louisiana, it was as much as I left in 5 years ago.

But I did discover another church.

Athens Town Hall

St. Rest, Athens, Louisiana

I really wanted a shot from a hill, as I read that Athens, Louisiana was named for Athens, Greece and the original town was built on top a hill.

Ask and ye shall receive

At the end of the day, I found a hotel near Vienna and got to work looking up what ancient mounds could be around this area . Most of the mounds in Louisiana are in the east, situated along bayous and the river. I wasn’t expecting to find any in North Central Louisiana, but lo and behold…..I found one!

The next morning I was off. I passed through Vienna long enough to capture this sign – Old Wire Road. The sign, situated between two posts of blooming morning glories, says that it was the first road across North Louisiana and began as an Indian trail. How apropos..

Old Wire Road, Vienna, Louisiana

Turns out the mounds I was heading for were only a short drive from Lisbon where i had been a day earlier.

View from the Road near Lisbon & Vienna

Hidden amongst the trees and fancy houses of Union Parish and overlooking D’Arbonne Lake is Scott Place Mounds.

D'Arbonne Lake

The mounds from the late Coles/Creek early Plaquemine periods dates to about 1200. This by far was my favorite mound to photograph. As I kept climbing up the hill I couldn’t place where the mounds would be. Just around the corner though, there was the sign and the mound.

Scott Place Mounds

800 year old Scott Place Mounds

On the way back home I got to take in some more Louisiana loveliness. I also got to experience some good ole southern hospitality. As I stopped to take this photo,

Louisiana Bayou

a truck immediately pulled up behind me, the driver jumped out thinking that I was having car trouble. I thanked him and told him I wasn’t ..I was just driving like a maw maw in my my Nissan Rental observing the State of my World.

This particular World Tour may not have gone as planned, instead it was so much better and left me in a state of true reverence. It reaffirmed that the present coexists with the past and reminds us that nothing is more important than preserving the State of Our World, both the inner and outer, for the future.

Flowers blooming in 2016 at 800 year old Scott Place Mounds

In that regard, this World Tour road trip, and all my World Tour road trips have been:

It’s all in how you see it.

Happy New Year!

Coming in 2017:

A New Website

More blogs

more World Tours

Thanks for reading, viewing and supporting the State of My World

~ Natasha

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

Monday, November 4, 2013

Imagine There's No Country....

John Lennon was right – it isn’t hard to do…

Balconies - Turkey & NOLA
Planet Earth

Traveling to Turkey (the Republic of Turkey, not Turkey (Creek), Louisiana), last December, I had the opportunity to expand my World Tour and visit many more ancient and historical sites.

While perusing the ruins of Pergamon, once a Greek kingdom situated on a steep hilltop in Western Turkey,

Kingdom of Pergamon, Turkey

my mind drifted 6,000 miles away to the ruins of – Poverty Point in Northeastern Louisiana.

Mound A - Poverty Point, Louisiana

Walking among the remnants of Pergamon in 2012 was not unlike walking among the mounds of Poverty Point in 2011. Despite the contrasts between the landscapes - breathtaking Roman architecture on a hilltop overlooking the city of Bergama versus the impressive manmade earthworks on a bluff with the highest elevation at 72 feet, I didn’t see much difference – I was in awe of both places, because they are part of our past as mankind, part of the history of our planet. (Fun Fact: Poverty Point predates the former Greek kingdom of Pergamon.)

Poverty Point, Louisiana

Pergamon, Turkey

Another excitement of my Turkey the Country trip was visiting Troy, thought to be the site of the famous Trojan Wars. As luck would have it, I also got the opportunity to visit Troy, Louisiana (now part of Waterproof) last summer on my way back from Quebec. I came across a tree that reminded me of a shot I had taken in Troy, Turkey.

Troy, Turkey

Troy, Louisiana

It wasn’t just the ancient sites that impressed me or reminded me of how small our planet actually is, it was also traveling through the countryside. Most of my shots come from the bus. I got pretty good at shooting through bus windows at fast speeds.

A flooded field in Turkey brought to mind our flooded rice fields turned crawfish ponds in China, Louisiana.

Flooded Field, Turkey

Flooded Field, China (Louisiana)

The little house in a field in Turkey evoked this image of a little house in a cotton field near Bermuda, Louisiana.

Little House, Turkey

Little House, Bermuda (Louisiana)

And speaking of cottonfields…..

Cotton Field, Turkey

Cotton Field, near Bagdad (Louisiana)

The Library of Celsus in the truly amazing Greco Roman city of Ephesus was amongst the highlights of the trip. And while the architecture does not compare, it is important to note that I did find the library in Turkey (Creek), Louisiana impressive enough to photograph when I passed through in the Summer of 2012.