Strange Rock Carving

reply to post by Doc Holiday


Yeah, there are buckets of flint evidence that come out of this area too. A fertile river bottom just a few hundred yards away, but the spring in the head of this hollow is just wet-weather.

Originally posted by jaroddean
Is it just me or does the ring around the tree slightly resemble a weathered Ouroboros? I am probably way off but want to hear from you guys as I am curious...

I'm hoping the rock will be dry enough tomorrow that I can investigate the rectangular areas at 3 and 9 o'clock on the circle for any evidence that would suggest a head. My son swears they had eyes in them, but with the water standing in them, it was hard for me to determine.

Originally posted by michael
It would be great if this were excavated, all surfaces carefully photographed and documented, some areas tested, and looked at under a black light. I'd also like a truckload of hundred dollar bills tax free.

Not even a slim chance of excavation. I'm not even sure that it's not a projection of the bedrock.

Originally posted by spikey

OP, could your hunter friends have not noticed it before because it had been covered with dirt/debris for a long time?

You said that the stream was mostly dry, and only recently you've had some heavy rains?

I'm leaning towards thinking it was more than likely endemically covered with the fallen leaves, and hence wasn't noticed before.

reply to post by kadyr80


An interesting possibility. There are remnants of an ancient stone wall several miles south of here, encircling a hilltop. Some have speculated that it was an old indian fort (unlikely, since they didn't generally build structures in stone), or that it may have been some sort of Celtic hill fort. The most down to earth explanation for it is that it is an old boundary wall of some sort, put up by pioneer farmers.

Fact is, there are no records, and it's never been investigated archaeologically, so no one knows the origin.

[edit on 2010/3/30 by nenothtu]

S+F!!!

Are you able to go back to the site often?

Next time you go there bring a metal detector if possible.

Originally posted by 911stinks
Oops, you stumbled upon a masonic sacrifice rock. The grooves collect the blood, and it drains into the river.

That's why so many stars for the guy wanting the map.

Also, it's 22 inches. Keep in mind Obama used 22 pens to sign the HCB.



[edit on 30-3-2010 by 911stinks]

A sacrifice rock? It's only 22" in diameter, nothing like the size of a body slab. Furthermore, the carved channels have no outlet for drainage.

Originally posted by maybereal11
reply to post by JohnnyCanuck

 

Good to know. i wouldn't know the man from a hole in the ground.

And while I am at it ...wtf is an epigrapher

So Johnny as you seem to be the one who has spent the most spare time chasing down evidence for early european visitation to the new world...what is your take? What do we have here?

Something modern? Native American? Paegan? Celt?

I am delighted to say that I have no idea. Like others, it reminds me of a celtic symbol, but I really couldn't say. It is, by the looks of it, a bas relief as another poster has mentioned. It actually looks like a large representation of a cloak pin (minus the pin). But I'd love to see an archaeological survey done.

As to Fell...he was earnest but untrained and given to monumental flops that tended to eclipse his successes. An epigrapher is one who studies writing and inscriptions...Fell's work is not well regarded.

Originally posted by darkbake
reply to post by nenothtu

 

Give coordinates so that we can check the area out on Google Earth

The rock is only about one meter wide altogether, and under cover of trees. It won't show up on Google Earth. Matter of fact, I know where there is an entire house there, nearly 100 years old, that doesn't show up in Google earth.

reply to post by nenothtu


Very interesting find nenothtu . Anything I say at all would be pure speculation, but here goes...

The first thing that struck me was how the 'ring' seems to resemble some sort of clasp. On the right side of the ring I see what appears to be a 'hinge' . On the left side of the ring, there would appear to me to be a locking 'clasp' . This also fits in with what I see as the top half of the ring being slightly smaller in width than the lower half, allowing for a 'fit' into the hinge and lock.

You indicate that this is located in calhoun or roane county., being hard to tell where the county line is while you are in the woods.

So, assuming that it is at least somewhat close to the county line, that is where I focussed my attention on Google maps.

You indicate that the 'stem' is oriented to the east-northeast. Working with all of this, I find a town named Five Forks,W.VA., although somewhat distant from this county line.

Assuming that the 'tree' within the ring might represent 'forks' instead, was what led me in this direction.

The last major battle of the Civil War was fought at Five Forks on April 1, 1865.

Five Forks is to the 'northeast' of any point on the Calhoun/Roane county line.

The 'branches' of the tree, if viewed as forks instead, would show five forks. Coming into Five Forks from the north, the 'forks' show somewhat of a resemblance to the 'forks' inside the ring.

Could this have been some sort of a coded message left by Confederate troops, to those bringing up the rear, that they were headed to Five Forks ? Could it also indicate that Five Forks had been 'locked-in' or surrounded ?

Again, I am just guessing. May be something to chew on anyway.

Originally posted by buckeyes38
If I were you. I would take a metal detector up there and run it around that rock or close by it. Also look for other markings around if you can find anything. If it is indeed a Norse carving they use to mark spots where they have been and also been known to leave things were they have been. If you have access to a metal detector it might be a good Idea to sweep the area. Here is a post in a old ATS thread. Goodluck www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread299149/pg1

If there's any treasure there, either monetary or cultural, it's not mine, and I'm not going to do the digging to get at it. In all honesty, due to the topography, and the general rocky nature of the surroundings, I really doubt there is anything buried at that spot.

I don't think it's either Norse or Ogham. It doesn't have the character of ogham, hashmarks along a linear feature, and it doesn't look like any of the Nordic or Germanic runes that I'm familiar with.

If this is not fabricated by the OP or someone whom they know... (this would be a lot of work to hoax btw!)

...

My "gut" instinct is that it is some kind of ritual marker. It highly resembles my own set of personal runes.

However, because it does not match any runes -- I have to start thinking about sigil magic. Perhaps this is a site for ritual, and an intention was carved on that rock as a "Permanent Spell".

Let me ask you -- is this location at or near a joining of two or more streams/rivers?

In terms of metaphysics, where two or more rivers/streams meet is a powerful place of energy.

The carving *might* be really old (over 100 years +) and actually show how the drainages of the area once were.

I don't smell any sort of hoax, the OP has been simply awesome at replying and giving more photos and even a topo. He wants this answered as badly as we do!

I dabble in the mystical arts personally -- and to me this seems:

1. A place of ritual meditation
2. A map of what the drainages used to look like
3. some kids trying to be like those vampires and crap in those "Twilight Movies"

So many teenagers want to so badly believe they are werwolves or vampires now after those movies...how hard by foot is the access?

If we had some idea of how far people would have to tromp/brush-whack we might be able to rule out highschool pranksters.

Is it secluded enough that you could see a small group doing a ceremony at night in the dark with candles/torches and not be noticed?

I ask these questions because they haven't been...many are leaning to wiccan/modern day worship. Knowing how hard the site is to access and how private it is might help answer that theory.

[edit on 30-3-2010 by MystikMushroom]

[edit on 30-3-2010 by MystikMushroom]

Originally posted by paratus
Knights of the Golden Circle used turkey foot inscriptions as treasure indicators.

I'd check the immediate surroundings and reference them in respect to the stone.
Eve if it is not lining up to be true with the creek bed, settling/shifting may have occurred.

The center of the circle would correlate with a possible "site" as would the rectangle on the outer ring.

are there any other similar markings on the outcrop?
could this all be weathering or erosion?
I've seen geode like embedded bubbles in rock that were reminiscent of this...

It's aligned precisely with the stream bed, with the "branches" of the "tree" pointing upstream.

When I went up there, it was raining so I didn't look too far afield from the rock. I'm going to hopefully spend most of the day stomping around that area tomorrow, so I'll keep my eyes peeled.

There is little doubt in my mind that the tree portion was created by a human agency,and no doubt at all that the circle was cut buy humans.

Originally posted by alttracks
Two questions I have -

1. Have you checked the local property descriptions at the county courthouse to see if it is a property marker?

2. Is there a possible grave nearby? A grave in our family dated 1805 has a similiar caprock.

Local property descriptions for the past 170 years don't place any line or corner there.

There are two cemeteries on the ridge immediately west of the rock. It's not likely to be a grave marker, though, because it is located right in the middle of a rocky mountain stream.

Originally posted by maybereal11
Just an FYI -- there are those making a case for Celts in West Virginia pre-columbus.

I'm reasonably convinced it's not Ogham, but I wouldn't be willing to rule out other Celtic symbolism.

That doesn't necessarily imply great antiquity in and of itself, though.

Originally posted by savvys84
Most important notify the authorities so it can be protected.

It's very well protected, no authority activity required for that. My cousin is debating the idea of getting archaeologists involved to survey it, though. He has access to them, apparently.

Originally posted by meganarline
Very cool rock. Do you feel any energy coming off it when you touch it?
Check out this link of the plumber who now has healing powers after discovering a rock under his house.

'Mystical' stone puts plumber on new path

www.ananova.com...

Nope, I didn't feel any kind of energy. Strangely enough, my shoulders don't hurt nearly as much as they should (bursitis) after tossing chunks of wood around the mountain all day today.

I think the irish beat the welsh there;

In the sixth century, St. Brendan, an Irish monk who was widely reputed as a skilled seafarer, is said to have undertaken an ambitious voyage. Brendan, along with a crew of fellow monks, sailed looking for Paradise, the Land of Promise of the Saints. After seven years exploring mysterious lands, he came upon what he believed to be the fabled paradise. It was an island so vast that he and his crew failed to reach the far shore after 40 days of walking. It contained a river that was too wide to be crossed. It was a wooded land, filled with lush fruits. He and his men filled their boats with gems they found there and returned home to tell of the news. ­It wasn’t until the ninth century that an account of Brendan's voyage surfaced, the Navigatio Sancti Brendani (“Travels of St. Brendan” in Latin). It was an instant hit, translated into several languages. The account talks of Brendan’s experiences, including his being pelted with rock from an island of fire, seeing a pillar of crystal and encountering a moving island before finally coming upon the Promised Land, which came to be referred to as the Fortunate Islands.

Was an Irish monk the first European to reach America?

The stone is intriguing to say the least, and beautiful.
I understand you not releasing co-ordinates, but could you possibly take a snapshot of close in surrounding terrain on google earth so's we could see if it is possible maybe to be a map of sorts?
Just for a process of elimination of possibilities,you needn't show specific identifers or coordinates.


err....edited to write welsh instead of welch (!)
Sorry people of Wales, and sorry Raquel

[edit on 31/3/10 by asIam]

Originally posted by nenothtu
Here is a full resolution crop of the right side of the image I posted above, in the area of the rectangular cutout in the figure:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0a08cf7beedc.jpg[/atsimg]

You'll notice upon close inspection, there isn't any noticeable difference in the the surface patination between the surfaces inside the carved areas, and the surfaces of the uncarved rock.

Yes I noticed that in the first picture. If that is indeed the case I would say it indicates some age.

Originally posted by kidflash2008
reply to post by nenothtu

 

Please do not reveal the location, unless you want many strangers digging up around the area and lawsuits if they get hurt.

I have no intention of revealing the location. Not yet, at any rate. I can virtually guarantee that any strangers digging up around the area WILL get hurt, and that's part of the reason that I won't reveal the location. It's not just to protect the rock, it's to protect them as well.

I can't think of any time ever that the inhabitants around here ever worried about any lawsuits at all. Certainly, the mere threat of it has never deterred them from anything.