This stone is made from a type of rock that is not commonly found in the area where it was discovered.
In 1872, a group of workers was digging near Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, USA, when they encountered something strange. While digging a hole for a fence post, one worker accidentally picked up a clay lump containing an egg-shaped stone. Surprisingly, this stone has puzzled scientists for many years. Why is that the case?
The Emergence of the Mysterious Stone
Close-up of the strange egg-shaped stone. (Photo: Sohu).
This peculiar egg-shaped stone was later owned by Seneca A. Ladd, a local businessman who had hired the workers to dig the fence.
The reason this stone attracted scientific interest was due to the unusual patterns carved on its surface. This type of carving had never been discovered before in the United States. Furthermore, the type of stone used to create this stone is not common in New Hampshire. Subsequently, archaeologists named it the “Mystery Stone of New England.”
The egg-shaped stone measures approximately 10.2 cm in length, 6.4 cm in thickness, weighs 510.3 g, and is black in color. Both ends of the stone have drilled holes that go straight through from one end to the other.
Upon examination, it was determined that the stone is made of either sandstone or mylonite. This is a fine-grained rock formed through the movement of rock layers along fault lines.
The stone is carved with many strange patterns that have never been discovered before in the U.S. (Photo: Sohu)
The stone features various bizarre symbols such as celestial motifs, human faces, inverted arrows, the Moon, two dots, spiral shapes, and a tent. One side of the stone is engraved with an image of corn with 17 kernels arranged in a row. Below the corn is a circle with three symbols resembling deer hooves and an animal with large ears. The face is slightly sunken, with a nose that does not protrude above the surface of the egg. Notably, the lips of the face seem to be crafted with a deliberate expression.
Later, the journal American Naturalist approached Seneca A. Ladd to propose writing an article about this strange stone. The journal described this artifact as “a special relic of Native Americans.”
The stone has drilled holes at both ends. (Photo: Sohu).
The stone remained with Ladd’s family until he passed away in 1892. His daughter donated the stone to the New Hampshire Historical Society for experts to study. The scientists at this Society did not believe that the stone was made by Native Americans, so they displayed it in a separate area.
Theories About the Origin of the Strange Stone
As for the origin of this egg-shaped stone, scientists have proposed several theories to explain it.
The first theory, presented by the American Naturalist journal, suggests that the stone is a memorial for a treaty signed between two Native American tribes.
Scientists have proposed various theories surrounding the origin of this peculiar egg-shaped stone. (Photo: Sohu).
The second, experts from the New Hampshire Historical Society believe that the stone originated from the Celts or the Inuit (or Eskimo). It could have been a tool used by them.
The third, in 1931, a letter sent to the New Hampshire Historical Society claimed that the stone was a meteorite. The writer referred to the stone as a lightning stone, a thunder axe that was said to be “fallen from the sky.” Stories about meteorites have been found in many different cultures around the world, often associated with Thunder Gods. The author of the letter believed that meteorites were often buried in clay, hard rock, or surrounded by coral.
The fourth, by 1994, Richard Boisvert, an archaeologist from New Hampshire, believed that the stone was part of something else. This expert drew his conclusion based on the drilled holes at both ends of the stone. He noted that the holes were straight and not tapered, suggesting that the stone was placed on a metal axis and had been disassembled multiple times. Richard Boisvert also theorized that these holes were created by electric tools, rather than traditional methods. His hypothesis led some to suspect that this egg-shaped stone might just be an elaborate hoax.
To this day, the age of this stone has not been determined. (Photo: Sohu).
The fifth, due to the many unique features of this egg-shaped stone, its age remains undetermined. Consequently, some experts have hypothesized that this stone may have come from another planet. They even believe that the carvings on the stone represent a code from extraterrestrial beings.
To date, no one has determined the origin of this egg-shaped stone. Scientists are still trying to understand what purpose this stone was created for and what the carvings on it signify. The stone is currently on display at the New Hampshire Historical Museum, surrounded by mirrors to highlight its distinctive features.
