Mayans in north Georgia

Mayas in north Georgia

This morning, @rascouet retweeted @alexanderchee’s link to a “Raw Story” article titled 1,100-year-old Mayan ruins found in North Georgia, which referenced a longer piece published by Examiner.com titled Massive 1,100+ year old Maya site discovered in Georgia’s mountains.

Fascinating!

The Mayan site near Brasstown Bald in Blairsville, Ga., is roughly 119 road miles east of my house, maybe only about 75 miles as the crow flies. I have lived in northwest Georgia all of my life (except a few years just over the state line in metro Chattanooga, Tenn.). I’ve heard about the Cherokee Indians. Most folks around here bleed at least a little Cherokee blood. I’ve heard the stories about Sequoyah’s method of writing the Cherokee language (So, erm, it’s a syllabary, not an alphabet. So… —a la van Hœt). I’ve visited the historic homes of two Cherokee chiefs (Ross) and Vann).

Until this morning, I didn’t know Mayans were a part of north Georgia history, much less that descendants from a civilization that disappeared 1,000 years ago may be buying gas at the corner store.

Thanks Internet!