The Stone of Lorain

[rashore]

Quote

When I previously posted on the Fort Mountain Mystery Petroglyphs, there was a reference in the main article to some famous Ohio petroglyphs, one of which, at Independence, Ohio, Cuyahoga County, was entirely unknown to me. I hoped that I had finally found those petroglyphs when I discovered this story, but, no, this artifact turned out to be an entirely new engraved mystery stone which, if its own testimony may be believed, was of a much later, but still anomalous date.

From the Cleveland Herald, May 12.

CURIOUS RELIC—A NUT FOR ANTIQUARIANS.

Mr. L.M. Parsons states in the Lorain Republican, that he has in his door yard a block of white limestone as near the form of a bust as could be expected from the hand of nature. It was found in 1838 by Alfred Lamb, in Brighton, Lorain Co., Ohio, covered with a thick coat of moss. In three places upon it “1533” is engraved; also the name “Louis Vaquard, La Franc, 1533”—and when found there was a draft on the stone of a three-masted ship in full Sail with a flag upon the middle mast. The stone was taken to the house of Mr. Lamb, and boys cracked nuts upon it until they entirely defaced the engraving of the ship. Mr. P. says there are numerous witnesses who give a corresponding statement about the engraving of the ship, and the other engravings are still perfect and well executed....

http://hauntedohiobooks.com/news/13131/

[PersonFromPorlock]

Who carves stone in cursive script? I can't recall another like that. Admittedly, my knowledge of carved stones is casual, but script?

[jaylemurph]

There are several people here with stoneworking knowledge. I've seen inscriptions with linkages between a few letters, particularly in the time period suggested here, but I've never seen any stone work completely in cursive. Seems to me it would take far more time (and hence money) than block capitals.

--Jaylemurph

[Jarocal]

On 4/6/2017 at 6:46 PM, jaylemurph said:

There are several people here with stoneworking knowledge. I've seen inscriptions with linkages between a few letters, particularly in the time period suggested here, but I've never seen any stone work completely in cursive. Seems to me it would take far more time (and hence money) than block capitals.

--Jaylemurph

Look at the detail in Stone sculpture or bas relief. Carving script is not unfathomable, just cost prohibitive as the worker with that skill level would be better utilized elsewhere while a lesser skilled person could be used to convey the message with block letters while the higher skilled carver moves on to the next project requisite of his craftsmanship.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Jarocal

[Gingitsune]

It's not impossible at all to carve script, it just takes a better mastery of the craft. It depends also how hard the rock is, the harder it is the less convenient it is to carve complex drawing, including writing. I did the initiation class at stone sculpting, we used soft Indiana stone (from Indiana) which is a kind of sandstone. It wouldn't have been a problem to do this kind of work. Someone draw the shape, then sculpt over the lines.