Stone Marker

rbanton · May 2, 2017

1886 Stone Marker Found

Any idea what kind of marker this is or who may have made it?

vpnavy · May 2, 2017

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forums: Select Your Area.... and selecting location information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).

2nd - I moved this request from Today's Finds! over to Our Discoveries > What Is It? for more exposure.

rbanton · May 2, 2017

Thanks.

I changed that info in my profile now.

Oddjob · May 2, 2017

No idea, but I see them all over Germany in teh forest areas.

Batch · May 2, 2017

The ones in the area where I live in Germany are called "grenzstein" (border stones or boundary markers). In the past, they marked state, kingdom, national, etc boundaries and may be hundreds of years old (many have dates inscribed on them like the one above). Many do also have the "cut marks" on the side like the OP's. Which, if I remember my research correctly, had something to do with the ropes/chains used to transport the stones (this I will research again this weekend). However, most I have seen here have a square profile when viewed from the top and this one looks more slab-like. Another difference from the border stones here is the cross on the local ones is on top to specify a very specific point. The one in this post is on the side of the stone.

All that said, I get the feeling the one above may be a headstone rather than a border stone. But my feelings have been wrong many times before!

This is one I just happened to photograph yesterday as part of a personal research project...

Hopefully I have not muddied the water.

Respectfully,

Batch

Back-of-the-boat · May 2, 2017

Grave marker?

4x4x4 · May 2, 2017

.....Man, that's Fun !

bradyboy · May 2, 2017

How do you know the age?

rbanton · May 3, 2017

Thank you.

Grave stone

with no name? Why would they do that? Not questioning just wondering?

Is the cross a Templar style. I learned that they were in Maine and held a huge convention or something in Bangor in 1886. I have noticed two other stones on my property with the same markings on the side. One with nothing engraved and the other has the exposed side(sticking in ground on side) all worn away. It is next to a pretty good sized brook.

Batch said:
The ones in the area where I live in Germany are called "grenzstein" (border stones or boundary markers). In the past, they marked state, kingdom, national, etc boundaries and may be hundreds of years old (many have dates inscribed on them like the one above). Many do also have the "cut marks" on the side like the OP's. Which, if I remember my research correctly, had something to do with the ropes/chains used to transport the stones (this I will research again this weekend). However, most I have seen here have a square profile when viewed from the top and this one looks more slab-like. Another difference from the border stones here is the cross on the local ones is on top to specify a very specific point. The one in this post is on the side of the stone.

All that said, I get the feeling the one above may be a headstone rather than a border stone. But my feelings have been wrong many times before!

This is one I just happened to photograph yesterday as part of a personal research project...

View attachment 1446739

Hopefully I have not muddied the water.

Respectfully,

Batch

rbanton · Oct 3, 2017

rbanton said:
Thank you.

Grave stone with no name? Why would they do that? Not questioning just wondering?

Is the cross a Templar style. I learned that they were in Maine and held a huge convention or something in Bangor in 1886. I have noticed two other stones on my property with the same markings on the side. One with nothing engraved and the other has the exposed side(sticking in ground on side) all worn away. It is next to a pretty good sized brook.

I recently found another stone. It is flat in the ground and is a elongated triangle shape. Kind of looks like an arrow.

Spats · Oct 4, 2017

rbanton said:
I recently found another stone. It is flat in the ground and is a elongated triangle shape. Kind of looks like an arrow.

Walk 40 paces in the direction the arrow points and DIG. Be sure and send me my share of the gold.

Where is Backwoods Bob when we need him?

Old Pueblo · Oct 5, 2017

Its probably a land survey marker. Probably the corner of some guy's property, and the date would be the year of the survey. Using stones like that for property markers was pretty common back in the day.