Thursday, January 31, 2019

Route 66 Guardians...!

From the folks over at Atlas Obscura here is another little mystery to ponder. This one was new to me, I have to admit.

Guardian Lions of Route 66

A pair of large white marble lions guard this stretch of the Mojave Desert, and it is utterly mysterious how they got there.



Most days you can see clear from the lions to the Amboy Crater, the geological remains of an extinct cinder cone volcano, five miles to the west—making the presence of these beautiful marble creatures that much more otherworldly.

Often called “foo dogs” in the west, Chinese guardian lions are most notably gendered by the tokens they hold. The male (symbolizing yang) holds an embroidered ball, representing a building or other space under his protection. The female (symbolizing yin) shelters a cub, representing nurturance and protection of the souls within a space. In this case, it seems the pair is tasked with keeping watch over the entire Mojave Desert and all who pass through.

It is unknown how the lions got there. Standing about five feet high and elevated on cinder block pedestals, they were first sighted in late 2013, and whoever placed them there has never stepped forward to claim responsibility. Administrators of the lions’ Facebook page emphasize that they are not the benefactors. The mystery serves only to amplify their allure. How and why were two hand-carved solid marble statues weighing thousands of pounds transported here, four miles from the nearest town?

Other mysteries circulate online as to the origin of visitor logbooks at the sites, and pondering the significance of a surveyor’s brass waymarker pounded into the earth before the female lion. Is this a geocache hiding in plain sight? And what is the significance of a real estate sign placed near the roadside north of the male lion?

Whatever the lions’ origin, passersby have attached their own meaning. People leave coins, offerings, memorials, and words. Logbooks collect travelers’ musings; when the logs disappear, fans replace them with new notebooks, reproducing if they can what has been documented from the missing logs. The lions stand watch over an ever-changing landscape of meaningful gestures and tokens. Good luck and memorial offerings flooded the female lion after a May 2016 online report that she was damaged by a high-powered rifle (nearby the shooter had scribbled an apology on a piece of driftwood, claiming he didn’t know the target was precious). Among their ever-growing fanbase, it appears the lions have attracted guardians of their own.

You just have to love it when someone leaves a pair of huge marble statues in the desert without saying why. I'm starting to think that the aliens are messing with us, ya know?

Coffee in the kitchen again today!

8 comments:

  1. Love your alien comment. You just might be right.-2° Here this am so kitchen it is. Like you posted a few weeks ago, I lost a neighbor a good friend tonight at her home and also a younger cousin in a car accident. It's been a bit stressful.

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  2. They remind me of two such lions that used to be in front of a Chinese restaurant. They were stolen a number of years back. How is anyone's guess. Interesting story. Cold here this morning also. Supposed to warm up by the weekend. Guess the Super Bowl fans will be happy. Me? I'm leaving for warmer climes on Saturday. Will be gone for 17 glorious days. Since I will have to pay for internet I'l be missing you.

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  3. If not the aliens messing with us, someone is for sure. Bitter cold here again this AM - minus 25 with minis 30 windchill. Supposed to warm up today to minus 4. Warming up this weekend to above zero temps; of course then it will snow again.

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  4. Maybe those are the lion's Momahen is talking about, but how they got there is another mystery.

    Coffee in the kitchen is OK by me.

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  5. Hey Mamahen...
    It's always hard to lose a friend or neighbor, even harder to lose a younger cousin or family member. Nothing I can say would ever be enough, but I would offer a hug if I was there.
    Thanks for coming over today!


    Hey Momlady...
    Heading out to warmer climes sounds like a good idea for you! I sure can't blame ya one bit!
    Thanks for stopping by today!


    Hey Linda...
    There is just no way I could live there, with it being so cold. You are braver than I, that's for sure.
    Thanks for the visit this morning!


    Hey Jo...
    Until someone comes forward, it will always remain a mystery...and maybe that's how it should be.
    Thanks, sweetie, for dropping by today!

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  6. I have friends who do a lot of treking in the desert there, but they've never mentioned seeing this.. I wonder if they even know? Our world is full of all sorts of mysteries I guess, and sometimes it's more fun to not know the why's and wherefores.

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  7. If all other explanations don't fit you can always blame them on aliens. (grin)

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  8. Hey Tatersmama...
    I also think there is a certain enjoyment in just savoring the mystery of it all. We really don't need to know, do we?
    Thanks for stopping by today!


    Hey Dizzy...
    I have been known to do just that!
    Thanks for coming over today!

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