Measurement Signs/Symbols

Measurement distances have caused problems for treasure hunters all over the world. Words like: vara(s), braza(s), estado, league(s), steps, places, and paces. They seem to be rather common terminology that we use today. Years ago this was not the case. Look at how history has changed them over the years.

"The Vara" in its' earliest beginnings meant that it could be anywhere from 30 inches up to 35.9 inches. This conflict of distances could cause one not to be able to find what they were looking for. The Spanish "vara" was approximately 32 inches, which was the normal stride of a Spanish soldier. The measured "vara" was 33 inches exactly.

Each mark represents a distance that is to be counted as one or added together to get the total. These marks are just units. Each mark may mean it to represent a : 1, 10, 50, or 100 of these distances. Depending on who placed these s/s there in the first place.

The "Estado" was the minimum depth measurement that items of importance were to be buried, by the Spanish, Jesuits or Catholic priests. This was set at 5' 7". It would look similar to a "vara" mark, but now was showing the depth that each mark represented. "1" or "Un Estado".

"The Braza" was also 5 feet 7 inches. Used mostly by pirates/sailors as a measuring distance. When they buried treasures and made maps, they used the words 'paces and varas". But these words implied/told them to use the braza distance of 5" 7", for each pace or vara distance.

There are two "Leagues". Statute (land) and Nautical (ocean). The statute league was considered variable from 2.12 to 2.18 miles. The Nautical league was considered variable from 3.18 to 3.27 miles. Since there was so much discrepancies in distance, check all areas that are in between them. All this is quite confusing. But these are just some of the problems we will run into. It just goes with the territory of treasure hunting.