I have no knowledge that the Spanish ever said in their writings, that if the point of the bolt or the cracked lobe was the side, in which the trap was located. This may have been an unspoken understanding of the overall message. Look for added s/s around the "Heart".

A small dot or small hole to one side might represent "nature's" death trap. Bad air, water, poison, poisonous snakes and scorpions. Oh yes, they would gather and introduce these territorial species into the area from very long distances. (I am presently working on a project that this information has some validity to it. I am not at liberty to talk about it at this time. But wait patiently, I think you will like it.)

These hearts may also be shown on maps. Telling the reader that there will be death traps awaiting them on their arrival. They will usually be found within a 200 ft. radius of the concealed entrance.

The "Lightning Bolt" symbol tells the aware treasure hunter, very valuable information:

1. This site is where large quantities of gold, silver or other treasures are stored.

2. "Death Traps" will be encountered along the way.

3. Miss any one of these symbols and you are assured of your demise.

Many times a "Death Trap" s/s will be given near the actual site. This is to distract the unwanted searcher away from the actual treasure site itself. You have to be on constant alert. Do not touch or remove anything, if you do not know what is going to happen next. Those who set these traps were devious people. They knew the greed of others, because they had it themselves. Too many people have had their dreams spoiled, with the thoughts of extreme wealth beyond their wildest imagination.

The first trap that should be discussed is what is called the "Grande Trap". This is a trap that is the type that is usually found within the 200 ft. radius of the concealed entrance. It is a very large boulder (30 to 40 tons) sitting on the slope of a hillside. On the boulder a carved heart with the pointer separated from the main body of the heart.

This trap could be classified as a "deception or deterrent" in the overall design. Many knew that the heart to a Spaniard, means gold. If the uninformed happen to miss the separated pointer message, and started digging where the pointer tells them, the disturbance of the ground beneath the boulder, would upset the balance, setting the trap in motion. If it didn?t kill you, the 30-40 ton boulder thundering down the hillside, might just scare you so bad, you might give up the search then and there.

If you come across one of these, do not waste your time looking under it. If you do there will be nothing under it, except you, when it starts crashing down the hillside.

Another and common type of lightning bolt warning, in the field for a death trap, is on either side of a shaft or tunnel entrance. (The "bolt" will never be above the entrance) It will be cut, carved or chiseled into the bedrock, within 1 1/2 or 2 feet of the entrance itself. The opening or entrance to any of these will be covered or concealed. The entrances will be blocked by logs or rocks that have been caliched in place.

Note: Make it a practice to expose at least two feet on either side of the entrance, to confirm if a death trap might be present. The position of the lightning bolt will show you where the trap(s) will be located. For example:

First: If the lightning bolt is on the left, the trap(s) will be found on this side, only after you have actually entered the mine. If the main passageway is long, stay to the right side of the passageway. If this passageway "Y's" , stay to the right. Remain on the right no matter how many times it "Y's", even though there might be a box or something of interest to tempt you into entering the other tunnel. It will more than likely be trapped. If a cross is carved on the opposite side of the entrance, this confirms that the "safe" passageways will be on the side of the cross.

Second: See where the point of the lightning bolt is pointing.

1. If the point is down then you will find floor traps only after you have entered.

2. If the point is towards the main entrance, then the trap is at the entrance itself. By breaking through the entrance, you will have set the trap in motion. Sand may be re- leased from a support rock(s), holding back a larger boulder further upslope from your position. It may not look like a dangerous situation, but believe me, one of my partners
almost lost his life to a trap of similar design.

3. If the point of the bolt is pointing up, then the trap(s) will be from above, only after you have entered the tunnel. Not at or above the entrance itself.

4. A heart that has a crack down the center, separating the two lobes in half. The crack is representing that your heart will be broken if you do not heed the warning. Be careful with this one. It does not tell you where the trap(s) are located or from what direction the death will be coming from.

5. Another variation type of trap warning is three crosses. Two to either side and below a larger cross. This message is from the three crosses, at Jesus' Crucifixion. Saying: Stay to the right. This is the position of the "Good Thief" that was with Jesus on the Mount at Calvary. A Mexican variation of this was used. Instead of two crosses below the larger cross, two skulls were used. This says follow the straight and narrow. Do not use any tunnel to either side of the cross.

6. Be aware and leery of any type of signs that are mentioned above or have connotations relating to death. They all relate to death by some means. It is quite possible that someone may have been more devious in their motives. The Royal or King's Spaniards had rules that were mandatory and "MUST" be followed to the letter. Others may not have held the same beliefs. This is why you must take this information seriously and be cautious with everything that you may do. "Safety is the prime directive!"

The following "death trap" drawing depictions and explanations do not cover the complete range of traps that will be encountered or found throughout the world. They are shown here, to give you an idea, of how some of them were constructed.

In the Jan/Feb 2001 THU article of the Gold Prospector Magazine, I published the very first photo ever taken, of an active 300 year old "Death Trap', found in Mexico. If you continue on, you will see this engineering feat for yourself. How it was constructed and how it works. Read on.

This trap is designed to be set in motion by the removal of the material that actually seals the entrance itself. (Caliche and rocks for example.) When the area around the sand (A) supporting the other boulders/carved stone is disturbed, the sand is released and weakens the overall support of the death boulder that sits above the entrance. Once the boulder has you trapped beneath it, the overburden then flows down the hillside. Making it look like a land slide has occurred. Covering the entrance and you.

Sand Release/Bait Traps

This trap is set in motion by the removal of the sand blocking device. (large stone or box.) The sand now rushes into the void, left by the blocking device. Thus upsetting the balance of the crushing boulder, causing it to fall forward by the shifting of the sand support. A good rule of thumb is: "If it seems to easy", it is a trap?.

This boulder is fitted to the tunnel walls and ceiling. Without close inspection, someone might miss it. What if you found this laying at the rear of a tunnel and knew that this might be a trap? Would you leave it or find out what is in the box?

The first thing you want to do is take pictures of it. Personally I would take the box, for several reasons. 1. I want to know what is in the box. 2. We talk about the Spaniards deviousness with their treasures. Did they have a sense of humor and fill the box with rocks? 3. What if we leave the box where it is...and someone else comes across it at a later date, who doesn't know about death traps and trips it?

Floor Traps

It is easy to see how this trap operates. Too much weight on one end, upsets the balance of the false floor. (It only takes about 100 lbs to upset this balance) Thus depositing the unaware searcher(s) to the chamber below. If the fall doesn?t kill you the
depth and shape of the chamber adds to its? effectiveness. Look for trap s/s along the upper portion of the tunnel walls. Warning you that a trap is just a few feet away.

The floor cracks at the mechanism will not be seen. Caliche will be used to make the floor seem as if nothing is wrong. Several variations of this design have been found all over the world.

This last year, one of our own students went down to visit some friends in Mexico. While there, he did a little exploring on their property. After a couple days of exploratory treks, he discovered some large boulders with carved markings. Upon closer inspection, he found that these were carved markings of snakes and circles. Some of the snakes pointed down and others were coiled. His curiosity increased. Now he began to look even closer, at the other boulders in the area.

A few yards below these snakes and circles, he came across a rather odd looking rock formation. To him, it didn't look like anything mother nature would have created. Propped against other support boulders was the carved head and shoulders "silhouette" of a man. crouching down as to lift something heavy. He also sees that the arm and leg
muscles have also been carved. On the left arm, there is a carved notch. Appearing to be where some kind of support was used, to keep the structure in place.

A couple of days later, he found an overgrown area of thick vegetation, rubble rock and a depression on the side of the one hill. This too did not look like the work of mother nature. (This area was approximately 50 yards to the left of the "silhouette")

It took several days to clear away the vegetation and rubble rock. Under all the rubble rock, was a working Death trap. I will do the best I can, to describe their position and the workings of the trap. (After this photo was taken, the people working this site, decided to trip the trap and redirect the boulder downhill.)

Look at photo of the death trap and the drawing of the trap. Here we have a rather large "trap boulder" sitting atop a support rock (#1). Which in turn is precariously perched on a formed bedrock pedestal. Notice how the angle of the support rock's base and the top of the bedrock pedestal, have been ground down to fit each other. The support rock is kept in place by the extreme weight of the trap boulder. The top portion of the trap boulder is hidden from view, by the overhanging rock formation in front.

To keep the trap boulder from falling off the support rock, rock #2 has been shaped to fit the right hand side of the trap boulder. Look at rock #2 very closely. Compare it to all the other rocks that you see in the photo. Do you notice anything different about this rock? Look again. The front surface of the rock has been carefully shaped to depict the face/head of a man. Look at it again. Look at the shadow and highlights on the rock. Can you see the face?

With the discovery of this Spanish death trap, this "new" addition should be added to your field notebook. I am going to catalog it as, the "Death Mask Trap". This may have been indicated to us earlier, by the missing face on the silhouette boulder in photo #1. This might very well be the Spaniards "symbolic" representation or interpretation for a trap "in this area".

We may find with further investigation, that the use of the "death mask", was evil or superstitious to the local native Indians. These carved or missing faces in and around the mine entrance, were to keep them away. The church may have told them, that if they convert, the church would protect them from these evils, so they could work the mines.

The "death mask" sits atop #3, a rock carved, quadrilateral shaped beam, about six feet in length. This beam extended through, what would be the tunnel's right wall. By moving the end of the rock beam, which is inside the tunnel, any direction, would displace rock #2. Which in turn, allows the trap boulder to roll off support boulder #1. The trap boulder would then come to rest, covering the main entrance. Blocking any attempt at escape, rather difficult.

This is another example of how a small stroll in the hills, could lead you to such a fantastic find. What an education for all to see. We are continuing to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sort of, after the fact. This will take more time and research. When we get all the information together, this too will be given to you.

"YOU", the students of the Treasure Hunter's University, were the "first" to actually see a published photograph of an active 300 year old Spanish death trap. (Jan/Feb 2001 issue of the Gold Prospector Magazine) The THU will continue to bring you this type of information, that will help you in your quests.

I want to thank "MAC" McAllister for taking these wonderful photographs and giving us permission to have them published. Thanks, MAC!

More to come and "Be Safe Out There".

"Hawkeye"