Bourne stone

The Bourne Stone is an archaeological curiosity located in the town of Bourne, Massachusetts. The stone is a 300-pound chunk of granite, upon which two lines of carvings were made.

History

According to the Archaeological Institute of America, the stone probably started as a doorstep of a Native American meeting house around 1680, then passed through several owners, landing at the Aptucxet Trading Post in Bourne about 1930.[1] The stone has been displayed at the historical center since 2003.[2]

Barry Fell claimed in his 1977 book - America B.C.: Ancient Settlers in the New World - that the markings are in an Iberian script and language which he translates to "A proclamation of annexation. By this Hanno takes possession".[3]

In 2004, Larry J. Zimmerman explained his own theory about the Bourne Stone in Collaboration In Archaeological Practice: Engaging Descendant Communities. He invited Norse runic expert Michael Barnes[4] to examine the stone. Barnes stated that the markings were definitely not runic. Zimmerman and Patricia Emerson, Minnesota archaeologist, suggested that the markings looked like Native American petroglyphs.[5]

References

"AIA Event Listings - The Bourne Stone - Bourne Historical Society". www.archaeological.org. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
"Bourne Stone continues to baffle the experts". capecodtimes.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
Goudsward, David (2006-07-05). Ancient Stone Sites of New England and the Debate Over Early European Exploration. McFarland. ISBN 9780786424627.
Yankee, Wicked (2012-10-31). "Wicked Yankee: The Bourne Stone - Bourne, Ma". Wicked Yankee. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
Larry J. Zimmerman (2007). "Unusual or extreme beliefs about the past". In Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (ed.). Collaboration in archaeological practice: engaging descendant communities. Altamira Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-7591-1054-0.

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[1] "AIA Event Listings - The Bourne Stone - Bourne Historical Society". www.archaeological.org. Retrieved 2015-12-16.

[2] "Bourne Stone continues to baffle the experts". capecodtimes.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.

[3] Goudsward, David (2006-07-05). Ancient Stone Sites of New England and the Debate Over Early European Exploration. McFarland. ISBN 9780786424627.

[4] Yankee, Wicked (2012-10-31). "Wicked Yankee: The Bourne Stone - Bourne, Ma". Wicked Yankee. Retrieved 2015-12-16.

[5] Larry J. Zimmerman (2007). "Unusual or extreme beliefs about the past". In Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (ed.). Collaboration in archaeological practice: engaging descendant communities. Altamira Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-7591-1054-0.