Richard Senate

Ventura's mystery stone

January 15, 2011 |  4 comments
Image Credit: sxc.hu The Albinger Archaeological Museum is now closed to the public, the latest victim of budget cuts. But, few know that this vest pocket museum houses one of the greatest mysteries in California and one that may re-write the history books. It might be the concrete evidence that the Spanish were not the first Europeans to discover California and that honor might be given to the medieval Irish! The artifact is a large rock with odd markings scratched upon its surface. The rock is a hard material and so any markings must have been made with metal tools, and done not as an idle gesture but for some purpose. Who made these carvings?

When it was first found in the early 1970s archaeologists speculated that it might be a Native American Calendar stone of some sort, others suggested it might have been used to make sea shell beads that the Chumash People used as a form of money. Still others held that the mystery stone must have something to do with the Old Mission as it was found close to Mission San Buenaventura. Could it have been used as a sharpening stone or maybe some sort of map. The strangest, and perhaps the most radical theory was put forth in the 1980s by a couple visiting from West Virginia. They came away convinced that the markings were a form of writing called Ogam used by the old Irish. Examples of these messages are found in Europe and the east coast of the United States. Perhaps the best collection of Ogam Script has been found in Wyoming County, West Virginia.

Most anthropologists attribute the carvings to Native Peoples but a determined group continue to seek more examples to offer evidence that the messages are old Irish. They point to records that a 6th Century Irish Monk, Saint Brendan, did sail across the Atlantic in small ships made of leather. Even if the stories of the venerable saint are true, Ventura is a long way from New England. The small leather ships might have made a trip from Ireland to the east coast but, the idea of them sailing around the tip of South America to California seem a bit too much to imagine. Still, the Irish are an inventive people known for their daring. Those who study Ogam have examined Ventura's Mystery stone and they believe they can translate the grooves and ascertain it's meaning. They believe it reads: “This is the western boundary”.

Perhaps the Ancient Irish didn't sail here but marched across the American Continent marking it as their own, with Ventura the farthest west they reached. Interesting speculation but, do the marks really say this? Are they really Ogam or might their be another explanation? Could they be Chinese? Japanese? Perhaps Pacific Islander from mysterious Easter Island? Who can say? But, with the Albinger Museum closed, perhaps permanently, the mystery rock may well be forever a mystery. I believe this curious artifact should be moved to a place where it can be seen by the public, maybe at Ventura's City Hall, or the County Historical Museum rather than languishing in the darkness. Maybe then, when scientists can study the thing, its ancient message may be discerned at long last. [!gad]The Albinger Archaeological Museum is now closed to the public, the latest victim of budget cuts. But, few know that this vest pocket museum houses one of the greatest mysteries in California and one that may re-write the history books. It might be the concrete evidence that the Spanish were not the first Europeans to discover California and that honor might be given to the medieval Irish! The artifact is a large rock with odd markings scratched upon its surface. The rock is a hard material and so any markings must have been made with metal tools, and done not as an idle gesture but for some purpose. Who made these carvings?

When it was first found in the early 1970s archaeologists speculated that it might be a Native American Calendar stone of some sort, others suggested it might have been used to make sea shell beads that the Chumash People used as a form of money. Still others held that the mystery stone must have something to do with the Old Mission as it was found close to Mission San Buenaventura. Could it have been used as a sharpening stone or maybe some sort of map. The strangest, and perhaps the most radical theory was put forth in the 1980s by a couple visiting from West Virginia. They came away convinced that the markings were a form of writing called Ogam used by the old Irish. Examples of these messages are found in Europe and the east coast of the United States. Perhaps the best collection of Ogam Script has been found in Wyoming County, West Virginia.

Most anthropologists attribute the carvings to Native Peoples but a determined group continue to seek more examples to offer evidence that the messages are old Irish. They point to records that a 6th Century Irish Monk, Saint Brendan, did sail across the Atlantic in small ships made of leather. Even if the stories of the venerable saint are true, Ventura is a long way from New England. The small leather ships might have made a trip from Ireland to the east coast but, the idea of them sailing around the tip of South America to California seem a bit too much to imagine. Still, the Irish are an inventive people known for their daring. Those who study Ogam have examined Ventura's Mystery stone and they believe they can translate the grooves and ascertain it's meaning. They believe it reads: “This is the western boundary”.

Perhaps the Ancient Irish didn't sail here but marched across the American Continent marking it as their own, with Ventura the farthest west they reached. Interesting speculation but, do the marks really say this? Are they really Ogam or might their be another explanation? Could they be Chinese? Japanese? Perhaps Pacific Islander from mysterious Easter Island? Who can say? But, with the Albinger Museum closed, perhaps permanently, the mystery rock may well be forever a mystery. I believe this curious artifact should be moved to a place where it can be seen by the public, maybe at Ventura's City Hall, or the County Historical Museum rather than languishing in the darkness. Maybe then, when scientists can study the thing, its ancient message may be discerned at long last. Comments (4)

 Total Posts: 7,616,949    Topics: 316,944    Members: 201,977

 Not a member yet ? Click here to join - registration is free and only takes a moment!