Treasure maps are tricky, especially ones made up of symbols. Perhaps this is why so few treasure hunters actually find the hidden stash.
Interpretation is everything.
Interpreting the intended meaning of symbols and clues involves a lot of tough investigative work. You have to know how the mind works of the one who cleverly drafted the map and what his/her interpretation of the symbol used was.
Often, a treasure hunter several hundred years later doesn’t know who the original cartographer actually was, which makes it much more difficult to know the original intention of using a specific symbol.
Cultural background can change the interpretation of a symbol too. Confirmation biases as well.
Again, it’s very tricky.
But many symbols do have universal meanings that extend beyond cultural divides. It’s similar to sign language. Learning the meaning behind universal symbols is very important when deciphering a map.
Geometric shapes are very important symbols to secret societies. Be on the lookout in big cities like London, New York City, Paris for geometric shapes on buildings, sidewalks, crossroads. Investigating when they were placed there might help in figuring out the purpose and meaning.
It seems like in ancient times, symbols were used more than words in passing along the wisdom of the day.
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