Ancient stone carving discovered among lawn ornaments

Abbey Hull for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online

Searching through a collection of lawn ornaments for sale, archaeologist and TV presenter James Balme stumbled upon a large, grey stone with unique carvings on it. Sensing it might be more than just large, grey stone with unique carvings on it, he purchased it, brought it home and discovered he was right: It was more than just a large, grey stone with unique carving on it.

It was ancient, and possibly exhibited writing from a previously unknown language.

Weighing between 55 and 65 pounds (25 and 30 kilograms), the stone stands around 18 inches (46 centimeters), and is about 5.5 inches (14 cm) wide. The carvings, on the other hand, are not so easily described, as Balme says that the “pattern carved may be some form of writing,” and was used as “a keystone from an archway or indeed a vaulted ceiling.”

Obviously, this is not your typical yard sale find.

While the exact date is uncertain, Balme believes it belonged to the Anglo-Saxon period, an era beginning in 410 when the Roman Empire abandoned Britain and ending in 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded England.

In an effort to identify the use and exact date of the stone carving, Balme is seeking help to discover more about the stone’s mysteries using a new form of research—Twitter. We wish him well on this endeavor.

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