MYSTERY ROCK

Sodabob

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Howdy

I haven't been around for a while and had to re-register with a different name. Anyway, I'm working on a real mystery and could use some help. If I can remember how to post pictures, please notice the carved images in what locals call "The Mystery Rock." I have been asked by our local Historical Society / Museum to research it, and depending on the results here, might write an article for them in their newsletter. The rock has already been examined by a group of Archaeologist but they are baffled as to what the carvings might be or represent. The only thing they determined with any certainty is that the carvings were done with some type of steel tool such as a chisel. As for the date it was carved, they are baffled about that as well. Its located in a brushy area about 100 feet away from an old State highway and about 100 yards from an old Railroad line that was built in 1916. In the area there is also an old U.S. military encampment that was built in 1940-41 and sold to the County around 1947-48. The two most prominent theories are ...

1. The rock was carved by a Railroad worker
2. The rock was carved by a member of the Military

But regardless of who carved it or when, we are trying to determine what the carvings might be or represent? The archaeologist said they don't recognize the pattern and are pretty sure they are not Aztec or anything like that, and that they might be random that only the "carver" knows the meaning of.

If you have any theories or recognize the pattern as something specific, please let me know and I will pass the information on to the Historical Society. The rock is located about 50 miles east of San Diego along old Highway 94.

Thanks in advance to those who participate in possibly solving a mystery that has had locals baffled for several years.

Sodabob ... a.k.a. Sodabottlebob and Sodapopbob


The rock is about 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and about 2 feet thick. Most of the carving are on one end of the rock but in some places continue over the side. The local museum has permits to move it next Spring but will need a backhoe to lift and transport it.

100_5380.JPG

100_5377.JPG

100_5378.JPG
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Plus there's this ...

There is a lot of Freemason stuff that has to do with STEPS and/or STAIRS. Apparently it has something to do with various DEGREES and/or LEVELS of advancement and is often referred to as the 3-5-7 DEGREES

Mystery Rock Freemason Steps or Stairs.jpg

Freemason Steps or Stairs 3 5 7.jpg

Freemason Steps or Stairs.gif
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Is the little triangular shaped do-dad I circled a goof-up by the original carver or possibly some type of arrow pointing from the inlaid circle to the square as in the "rounding of a square" ???

Mystery Rock Freemason Arrow pointing to Square.jpg
 

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That little "triangle - sunken square - sunken circle" is the part I also found odd.

My immediate take when I saw this rock was that the grooves were carved with one tool ... then they switched to the "circle tool" to carefully cut those four circles.
I'm picking up the same vibs you are ... that a minor flaw accounts for this.

One needs to very carefully align the circle tool to fit in the design.
That fourth circle was made in a tight spot.

When you cut such beautiful, flat bottom circles, you have to be very careful not to wiggle the tool as you go deep.
If it wiggles a little, you can get an unwanted chip on the top edge, which would ruin the perfect circle in a small square.

The remedy is to cut the square down, removing most of the chip.
That sunken square is the only part cut in like this ... why is it cut in ?
To square up the damaged circle with the small square, is my thought.

Yeah, I'd look very closely at that circle and see if there is any remnant of a chip that may have broken off of the upper lip ... thus forcing the carver to cut the square down to try to regain the original effect he was after.

(he may have intended to remove the entire broken circle and found he could regain the effect of a circle in a small square by stopping part way down, leaving only the bottom of the circle, which was nice enough to leave ?)
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Thanks - Great minds think alike - Meaning, I was just leaving to go down there and study the inlaid circle and take some more pictures of it as well as the so called "mouth" I mentioned earlier. In the meantime, let's not forget the two Triangles ...

Freemason Triangle.JPG
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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I just got back and took 45 closeup pictures. However, I don't have time right now to sort through them and separate the good from the bad, but will later this evening or tomorrow. At that time I will also tell you about ...

(To be continued)
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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One good picture is worth more than 44 bad pictures!

1. This is a good sampling of the various patterns.
2. The light is coming from the top-side - which accounts for the position of the shadows.
3. The so called circle-inside-a-square could easily have stood out at one time, but then Mother Nature wore it away?
4. Or, it might have stood out and then a vandal came along and chipped it off?
5. Or, maybe it was intentionally carved just the way we see it?
6. The width of the grooves vary between two-fingers and one-finger.
7. The depth of the grooves average about 1/4" inch.
8. Most of the groove 'side walls' slant down about 30' degrees.
9. But some of them are sharp and vertical.
10. The bottoms of the grooves are slightly textured.
11. The texturing appears to be the result of the elements.
12. However, the slight texture is relatively smooth to the touch.
13. Triple-click to zoom.

Misc.JPG
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Here are the best of the bad* pictures

*(Poor lighting / focus and too close)

So called 'Mouth' on the side of the Rock below the Y symbol - Notice the moss/lichen on the lower 'ledge'

Mouth Ledge.JPG


'Framed' Triangle

Framed Triangle.JPG

( I wonder why one is 'framed' but the other one isn't? )

'Unframed' Triangle

Unframed Triangle.JPG


"At that time I will also tell you about ..."


View from cliff top about 20' feet above the Mystery Rock - Where I believe the Rock was originally located and then broke loose and tumbled down. The Rock is the one in the center that looks like an Alligator snout but is only a trick of the light

Looking Down from Cliff.JPG


I explored another area near the Rock and found some more Grinding Holes - Shown here with two broken Manos (smooth hand-held stones) and a pottery shard.

Grinding Holes and Broken Manos with Pottery Shard.JPG


Footnote: I haven't heard from any of the Freemason websites I contacted but will let you know if/when I do.
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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I rummaged through some of my boxed-up stuff this morning and found the local newspaper article I have been looking for about the Mystery Rock. The article was published in 2013 and the attached picture shows how the Rock looked at that time. Notice the Circle-in-a-Square was flat and did not stand out when this picture was taken - which tells us if the Circle-in-a-Square ever did stand out that it was before 2013

Mystery Rock 2013.JPG
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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P.S.

This reference is from 2017 - Notice what it says about "steel tools" -- "weathering" -- "possibly unfinished"

Mystery Rock 2017.JPG


Footnote: I'm about 99% certain I know who the individual was who brought the Mystery Rock to the attention of the Historical Society in 2013 - but because of privacy concerns I feel it would not be appropriate to disclose their name - and plan on contacting them soon
 

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Plug N Play

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Bob,
What's the museum's plan on getting this thing surveyed ? Are they going to get exact alignments and coordinates on paper, or are they just gonna come along and start moving things ?

If they have anything like that, I'd love to see it.
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Bob,
What's the museum's plan on getting this thing surveyed ? Are they going to get exact alignments and coordinates on paper, or are they just gonna come along and start moving things ?

If they have anything like that, I'd love to see it.


I haven't spoken with them lately but will during their next board meeting that I plan to attend. I will let you know what's going on after that. The last I heard they wanted to conduct an organized excavation of the area before doing anything else.
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Important Note: Please be reminded that my attempts to decipher the design is still a work in progress and are primarily based on observations and are not conclusive in any way, shape, or form. With that said, I'm still exploring the Freemason possibility because I keep finding just enough stuff to pique my interest that keeps me going back for more - such as the following ...

The Oblong Square

I agree that 'oblong square' is an odd term for what basically refers to a rectangle, but because it is often used in Freemason terminology, I use it here. As you will see in the accompanying attachments, an oblong square is used to describe the shape of a Freemason lodge, with the short ends facing east and west, and the long sides facing north and south. In the center of every lodge is what is generally referred to as the Master's Carpet - which in some cases are inlaid mosaic tiles. Of course I can't say for certain if the oblong squares (rectangles) on the Mystery Rock are Freemason related - but they do make me wonder. I also like what it says in the text about a combination of square and circle ...

Freemason Oblong Square text.JPG

Freemason Oblong Square.JPG

Mystery Rock Oblong Squares.jpg


Footnote: I still haven't heard from any of the Freemason inquiries I made - and not sure I ever will.
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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When you dig even deeper into the oblong square references, you start seeing stuff like this - which might explain the Y symbol, as well as the triangles ...

The text part says ...

'the Triple Alliance' - East of Rome - The Oblong of the Masonic Temple

Freemason Oblong Square Circles (1).JPG


Freemason Triple Alliance.JPG
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Which brings us to my current interpretation ...



If you follow the instructions of the Lodge and have faith, it will lead you up the stairway to Heaven where you will meet God
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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This is to expound on the FAITH aspect of my interpretation - which necessitates the translation to read ...

"If you follow the instructions of the Lodge and have faith in the teachings of the Bible, it will lead you up the stairway to Heaven where you will meet God"

Mystery Rock Bible Altar Faith.jpg

All of the Freemason altars depict a Bible on them along with three candles in various forms

Freemason Altar and Bible with three Candlesticks.JPG

Freemason Altar Bible.JPG
 

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Robot

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Now This Rock...Has Been Rolled Over...In Many Directions...I Will Put My Pebbles In!

A previous Poster stated he saw the artist works of Pablo Ruiz Picasso in this...I too would like to concur!

La Familie was painted during this time period and maybe a Stone Sculpture was warranted?

La Famille.jpg

It probably was not being sculptured by the original Picasso, although he was in this area in the early 20th Century.

These Stones lying about are very much prized for their Sculpturing ability.

Maybe some up and coming Artist was trying his hand at being the next Picasso?
 

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Sodabob

Sodabob

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Robot

Thanks for the contribution. As I have said throughout the course of this discussion, all observations, opinions, theories, etc; are worthy of consideration. At one point I even posted some Picasso stuff of my own, and remain open-minded to that possibility. However, the post that follows will hopefully establish where I currently stand with some observations, opinions, and theories of my own. But I acknowledge they are no more likely than your Picasso connection - just different! I suppose its true that some things truly do depend on "the eye of the beholder" and that "one person's trash is another person's treasure"
 

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