Our Numinous Nature

SPIRITS IN STONE: HUDSON VALLEY MEGALITHS, CAIRNS & SERPENT WALLS | Researcher | Glenn Kreisberg

Glenn Kreisberg is a researcher, engineer, author of Spirits in Stone: The Secrets of Megalithic America and co-founder of The Overlook Mountain Center in Woodstock, New York. For this in-the-field episode, we visit a mysterious archaeological site, a mountainside covered in signs of ancient indigenous habitation, enigmatic cairns and serpentine walls. After a reading of early 19th-century accounts from the likes of Lewis & Clark about stone heaps and large stone worship in Native American culture, we begin an intriguing & controversial conversation about the differences in opinion of the origin of the mysterious stone structures dotted across the Hudson River Valley. Are they merely the remnants of colonial farm life? Are they much older Native American ceremonial landscapes? Do some have astrological alignments to the stars and solstices? And for what purpose were they made? After touring Overlook Mountain, we hike along a ragged ridge top to what appears to be a megalith perched upon a peg. Throughout are wild musings on possible Celtic influence, the study of orbs, psychedelics and the return of the goddess. Purchase Glenn's book Spirits in Stone: The Secrets of Megalithic America [https://www.amazon.com/Spirits-Stone-Secrets-Megalithic-America/dp/159143162X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XHWT7Y8Y6JX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Gmw_0lVAEpPvbcbx3HWTqRRMK95VGNwUzVKGXHKLlSvBUGko_cGBSH0oOKukHRvQWqUsoCMsRMOirFVdRQ_Xl_YaV7zGGXG7hapUw4-kAmwGAzziV-Y8SwPlkrYzIyNgh2cz4de20yx8rUPYlC4BjQosqR4a-oR5fpzrh6swlsBDCWMNCfvWC5bl9dC2_NyP.Y8x2GWDVjPLophduIT7vNL-GvtURwb8FQvr9hwQkbtE&dib_tag=se&keywords=glenn+kreisberg&qid=1778414894&sprefix=glenn+kr%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-1] and join his Facebook group Archaeoastronomy and Landscape Archaeology in Northeast America [https://www.facebook.com/groups/730976450733866/?http_ref=eyJ0cyI6MTc3ODQxNTQyMzAwMCwiciI6IiJ9]. Learn more about The Overlook Mountain Center at overlookmountain.org [https://overlookmountain.org/]  Music by Eli Murray  [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/] "Bush Meditation" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/bush-meditation] Written & Performed by BUSHRANGER "The Warm Waves of Nature" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/the-warm-waves-of-nature-peak-plateau-phase] Written & Performed by Gentleforce "Mountain Ascension" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/mountain-ascension-ascent-phase] Written & Performed by Gentleforce "Flood Maker" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/the-flood-maker] Written & Performed by BUSHRANGER "The Rocks are Listening" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/the-rocks-are-listening] Written & Performed by BUSHRANGER "Gully Music" [https://bushmeditation.bandcamp.com/track/gully-music] Written & Performed by BUSHRANGER Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/ournuminousnature]. Follow Our Numinous Nature [https://www.instagram.com/ournuminousnature/] & my naturalist illustrations on Instagram Check out my shop [https://ournuminousnature.bigcartel.com/] of shirts, prints, and books featuring my art Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

ARTIFACT HUNTING + FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF EARLY VIRGINIA | Amateur Archaeologist | Dominique Kostelac

Dominique Kostelac is an amateur archaeologist, artifact hunter, farmer and all-around history buff living outside Charlottesville, Virginia. After a newspaper reading from 1869 about uncovering the skeletal remains of a conquistador in Appalachia, we open with Dominique describing the Monacan village he discovered on his riparian farm. From there we get into shocking examples of early, forgotten, and/or theoretical first arrivals of Europeans [and even the Chinese!] to Virginia and the East Coast in general. So how does one go about being an artifact hunter? With archival maps, jet skis, metal detectors, goggles and shovels, in search of eroding banks and knocking on farmers' doors. With over 50-years experience, Dominique previews the most prized finds from his 17th-century collection, all dug up in and around the Chesapeake Bay and up her waterways: a Turkish pirate coin; a flintlock pistol; a Spanish coin made into an Indian ornament; clay pipes; and a Jesuit stamped glass bottle. After skimming his overflowing trays of artifacts and hearing what the amateur has to offer to the professional field, we end on human remains and haunted places.  Reading from Conquistador Found Buried Less than Twenty Miles from Saltville by Jim Glanville for Saltville Progress, April, 11 2013. [http://www.holstonia.net/files/GlanvilleConquistador2013.pdf] Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/ournuminousnature]. Follow Our Numinous Nature [https://www.instagram.com/ournuminousnature/] & my naturalist illustrations on Instagram Check out my shop [https://ournuminousnature.bigcartel.com/] of shirts, prints, and books featuring my art Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

WEST VIRGINIA FUR AUCTION: BEAVERS & SKUNKS, ROOTS & ODDITIES | From Trappers to Buyers

The West Virginia Fur Auction is an annual fur, root, skull & antler consignment sale in Glenville, West Virginia. After a reading about the first fur-trade explorations over the Alleghenies into West Virginia in 1671-74, we head into the auction with in-the-field reporting on the modern fur, root, meat, gland and oddities markets, interviewing the likes of trappers, fur hangers, graders, buyers and members of the West Virginia Trappers Association. Many grew up trapping and we hear how meaningful it is to continue the very trade that founded America. From protecting endangered species to supporting natural materials over synthetic textiles, the trapper is discussed as an environmentalist. Throughout are charming moments like a young lady demoing how to skin a noxious skunk or what to do with a raccoon's pecker bone. As the buyers stand around the racks of bobcat pelts, piles of beavers, boxes of skunks and deer horns, we find out what they're looking for whether they specialize in garments, felt, costumes or oddities. As the auctioneer rattles off the bidding, you've got a front row seat to the fascinating world of American fur.  Reading from The West Virginia Encyclopedia by Philip Mallory Conley [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_West_Virginia_Encyclopedia/wMVQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0] To learn more about the West Virginia Trappers Association: wvtrappers.com [https://www.wvtrappers.com/] Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/ournuminousnature]. Follow Our Numinous Nature [https://www.instagram.com/ournuminousnature/] & my naturalist illustrations on Instagram Check out my shop [https://ournuminousnature.bigcartel.com/] of shirts, prints, and books featuring my art Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

44-YEARS AN APPALACHIAN TRAPPER; NATURAL HISTORY ON THE BOBCAT-LINE | Trapper | Steve McCue

Steve McCue is a trapper, naturalist, all-around outdoorsman & Vice President of the West Virginia Trappers Association from Nicholas County, West Virginia. On this in-the-field episode we visit his wall-tent camp and head out for a morning on the bobcat trapline. After a 1929 reading about handling & relocating backcountry bobcats, Steve opens on the significance of the bygone American chestnut. We hear of his deep Appalachian roots & how his outdoorsman lifestyle is a spiritual pursuit that reaches back into pre-history where trapping was the oldest way to procure food & clothing. After some archaeological examples of ancient trapping, Steve describes the 4-types of modern trappers: the hobbyist, the animal damage controller, the longliner, and the territorial/conservationist. From there we get into the natural history of Steve's favorite furbearers starting with the gray fox whose population is in decline. Leaving the tent behind, Steve walks & talks on the trapline about such things as: chaga foraging; uses of birch bark; the origin of "fairy-diddle;" making cat sets; skunk essence; lure-making as the witchy side of trapping; and what one might find in a bobcat's stomach.  We wrap it up on what we've learned from reading historical accounts, how an inexperienced trapping family survived on plants alone in the north woods followed by Daniel Boone's bear bacon enterprise.  Reading from West Virginia Wild Life Magazine Vol 7. Ep. 1 [1929].  Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/ournuminousnature]. Follow Our Numinous Nature [https://www.instagram.com/ournuminousnature/] & my naturalist illustrations on Instagram Check out my shop [https://ournuminousnature.bigcartel.com/] of shirts, prints, and books featuring my art Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

BEAR HUNTING BROTHERS, PART II: THE CHASE | Houndsman | Nathan Griffin

Nathan Griffin [like his younger brother] is a lifelong houndsman, bear hunter, and commercial turkey farmer in Pendleton County, West Virginia. On this 2nd part of our in-the-field, ride along with Appalachian bear hunting brothers we open with a riveting reading from the memoir of an early-1800's backwoodsman about a bear skin umbrella & hunting with a knife. As we drive the snowy mountain roads in search of a fresh track, Nathan describes various aspects of being a modern houndsman: from dog-work to being a good example, selective harvest and seasons based around wildlife management. We hear about sleeping in the woods, finding den trees, and a wildcat encounter in a rock hole. Of course a major part of any hunt is the food it provides and thus we talk of bear roasts, pies, meat handling and uses for rendered bear fat. And that's just about when we find a track! The dog box is thrown open and the howling dogs are cut loose into the cold mountains. While they lose the track in melted snow, we end up bushwhacking a thousand feet down a ridge to a bear in a tree where Nathan's hounds have joined another hunting party's and Jacob [from Part I] successfully tags out on a beautiful he-bear. From the mountains to the farm workshop, we come together around the Griffin family hearing from both brothers, a wife & their father about butchering, cooking and this truly American folkway.  Reading from Fourty-Four Years of the Life of a Hunter [https://www.amazon.com/Forty-Four-Years-Life-Hunter-Reminiscences/dp/1789870860/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CFRMLAYJBYT2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aJb0tJbFo-MWMfHEfWZKAo1dHt3r1ysZHGXq-OaeuqWJzNN8V0nymn1iFBPyuF_H.qDSsjygXTIWpMR-RmNHtac2-ZnA-l2x0ToVcy9jMKVg&dib_tag=se&keywords=Forty-Four+Years%2C+the+Life+of+a+Hunter%3A&qid=1767312227&s=books&sprefix=forty-four+years%2C+the+life+of+a+hunter+%2Cstripbooks%2C117&sr=1-1] by Meshach Browning.  Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/ournuminousnature]. Follow Our Numinous Nature [https://www.instagram.com/ournuminousnature/] & my naturalist illustrations on Instagram Check out my shop [https://ournuminousnature.bigcartel.com/] of shirts, prints, and books featuring my art Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com