Cherokee Inscriptions Not a Mystery Anymore, Archaeologists Decode the Writing in Alabama Cave After 200 Years

Hidden deep beneath the rugged landscapes of Alabama, an exquisite discovery has unraveled a deep connection between the past and present. Inside Manitou Cave, near Fort Payne, a series of stellar yet mysterious Cherokee inscriptions have puzzled researchers for nearly two centuries. Written in the Cherokee syllabary, an intriguing writing system developed by Sequoyah in the early 19th century, these inscriptions flaunt an intricate insight into the sacred rituals of the Cherokee people. For decades, their true meaning was shrouded in mystery—until now, stated Fox News.

Fortunately, archaeologists and Cherokee scholars have successfully deciphered the secret messages jotted on the cave’s walls, revealing a rich and diverse cultural prominence. The study, published in the journal, Antiquity, confirms that the inscriptions document a ceremonial stickball game played in April 1828. Stickball, often labeled as the Cherokee version of lacrosse, was far more than just a sport—it was a pious event intertwined with rituals and spiritual purification. The writings indicate that players entered the cave to prepare themselves mentally and physically before the game, indulging in purification rites in the underground waters of Manitou Cave. In a bizarre inscription, experts decoded, "We who are those that have blood come out of their nose and mouth." This phrase probably indicated the brutal nature of the game, stated Fox News.

The researchers noted, "Each team undergoes ritual preparation in private before the game, and access to purifying sacred waters is necessary. This is the event recorded on the walls of Manitou Cave — the ballgame players preparing themselves spiritually for the game and cleansing themselves in the secluded subterranean waters." As if this was not enough, the inscriptions also contain an intriguing feature—one passage was written backward in a bizarre manner. According to the researchers, it was done knowingly in an attempt to communicate with spirits from another realm. The study noted,  "If Manitou Cave was seen as a portal to the spirit world, then words must be written backward to be legible to the spirit residents. Pressures from the surrounding white populations disrupted the Cherokee ancient lifeways, culminating in their forcible relocation in the 1830s along the Trail of Tears," stated Fox News.

The prominence of these inscriptions is increased by the historical backdrop against which they were originally written. The National Park Service website explains, "In May 1838, the Cherokee removal process began...U.S. Army troops along with various state militia, moved into the tribe’s homelands and forcibly evicted more than 16,000 Cherokee Indian people from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia…The impact of the resulting Cherokee 'Trail of Tears' was devastating. More than 1,000 Cherokee – particularly the old, the young, and the infirm – died during their trip west, hundreds more deserted from the detachments, and an unknown number – perhaps several thousand – perished from the consequences of the forced migration." These inscriptions at Manitou Cave stand as a powerful reminder of this golden period, stated Fox News.

As if this was not enough, Alabama’s caves continue to spill new secrets. In the 19th Unnamed Cave, researchers using advanced 3-D scanning techniques have unraveled humungous Native American artwork dating back over 1,000 years. The detailed drawings showcased human-like figurines in detailed attire and an 11-foot-long rattlesnake, which therefore indicates a rich spiritual tradition. Jan Simek, an archaeologist, noted, "If the wet clay dried out all the way, it would almost certainly simply blow away, even in the very light air currents that occur underground," stated Smithsonian Magazine.