, 1890-10-26
ANCIENT MONUMENTS,
THE FAMOUS WRITING ROCK AND
THE SKELETON IN ARMoR.

nieiAns 500 Year, Ago.
The visit of a number Of Boston savants,
armed with kodaks and ~ponderous vol
umes on archaeology. to Dayton, Mass,
has again directed attention TO the famous
Writing Rock, a relic which has puzzled
philosophers since the earliest days OF
American hAbitaton. The celebrated Writ
ing Rock is situated on Taunton river, a
stream associated with many an indian
tradition and event OF colonial history.
II is one OF the most marked evidences
that the coast Of New England was visited
by old time mariners long before the com
ing OF the Spanish voyageu and the Pill
grims 1t shares with the skeleton in ar
NOR at Fall River and the old stone tower
at Newport the interest OF students Of the
far distant past
The three objects mentioned make IL
nearly certain that America was discoy-
cred long before the Mortimer penetrated
the more temperate latitudes OF the sea, or
the adventurous sails Of Americas Yes
pucci were waited amid the flower covered
island OF the Caribbean. Il Is also nearly
oertAin that adventures from the Old
World made a temporary settlement along
the coast Of Massachusetts before the Pill
Zrims ever saw the wintry shore Of Plym
outh or bent their knees In worship upon
taking possession OF the. TO them. new
continent
lhE NbAAs
The Writing Rock Is one Of the
II tho evidences in the cas-. 1t Is often
visited by -antiquArians, and its inscrip.
tons are well preserved. II consists Of an
insulated mass OF fine grained granite living
on the sands Of the river a few feet above
low water mark, but covered with water
at each flow Of the tide. It is II feet long
and about 8 high. On the water side Il
presents an inclined plane surface, the face
~ -hN.I ~ 81 49, Z 49,. o. -. -
originally covered with inscriptions and
sculptures. The inscriptions are hero
glyphic in character. and a. the rock is
very hard those that rise above low water
mark can have undergone but little change
from the action Of the elements.
Tn rock was noticed by the Pilgrims,
but received only a little attention from
historians until 1884, when there was found
in the ~neighboring town OF Fall River a
most remarkable relic. one that has not
yet ceased to be carefully studied. In dig
ging down a hill a mass OF rock Tell of
and disclosed a human skull. which was
found to belong to a body buried in n sit
ting posture and enveloped with bark.
This envelope was removed, and the as
tonished workmen found that the skeleton
was inoaSed in brass hrmor. The helmet
which covered the trunk was thirteen
inches by six inches and about one-eighth
inch in thickness. IL was evidently cast
in a furnace and bore marks OF skilled
workmanship. IL was very similar to that
described by Homer ms having been worn
by Hector In the immortal battle and siege
OF Troy.
II SKELETON IN ARMoR
What was more remarkable about the
Armor was that 1t seemed TO nave no con
nection with the armorial customs and
patterns OF Northern or Eastern Europe.
nor will any recent date. Below the
breastplate, and entirely encircling the
body. was n belt composed of brass tubes.
each four and one-hAlf inches long and
about three-eighths ofan inch In diameter,
arranged lonGitudlnally and close to
gether. The tubes had been cast on hol-
low reeds, and were so arranged as to pro-
tect the body below the belt and breast
plate. Tn contrivRnce was a most in
g~enious one. and proved that the maker
must have had a most skilled hand and a
comprehensive knowledge Of the art OF
casting.
II IS the opinion OF learned men who
have made n study OF the skeleton in armor
and other relics which have been found
near it that 1t belonged to the crew OF
voyagers which left the inscription on the
Writing Rock.
Both the skeleton and the writing on
the rock are supposed to be OF Asiatic or
lgin. The most careful writer's on tho
subject believe the Writing Rock TO con-
tain a representation Of the Pillars OF Her.
cules (Gibraltarl, and that the mail clad
hero was one Of a crew of Phpnicians who
crossed the western main, sailing through
the Strait Of Gibraltar, past the Pillars OF
Hercules, never to return.
The armor is the same as appears in
drawings Of sculpture found at PaIenque,
Mexico, which has led to the superstition
that an Asiatic race transiently settled
North America, afterwari going to Mex
leo, where II founded those rock walled
cities in the exploring OF which such as
tonishing evidences Of Asiatic civilization
have been found
READTS THE HTRoGLYPmCs.
To this theoryth the a~ntiquRrians who have
recently visited the rock subscribe. They
have deciphered the hieroglyphics to their
own satisfaction TO rend thnt the writer
was familiar with the Mediterranean re
gion, and that with his fellows he was dis
eouraged and abandoned on the North
American coast.
II Is supposed that in the exodus to
Mexico this band was forgotten, and the
inscriptions are their mute record Of the
onesomeness and encouragement of the
situation. Il is probable that the record is
at least eight hundred years old. and no
An;edates the Columbus period by four
centuries.
Inc fnOenlClAnb were tine most pefSeNer
ing OF ~nRvigators, and their capital was
once queen Of THE sea Their history tells
Of bold sailors who pushed ont beyond the
Pillars OF Hercules aud found strange
lands, rugged and rough. They may have
been the American continent.
1t Is proposed to preserve the rock by re,
moving 1t II possible to one OF the great
museums. There it can be studied more
scientifically and the Inscriptions de
ciphered with greater accuracy. Who
knows but that they may, when fully un-
derstood, reveal IA tale Of early adventure
and hardship never dreamed Of Those
hardy mariners may have performed deeds
OF daring Of which they were proud enough
TO immortHlize In enduring granite. or they
may have written the direction to some
wonderful treasure which they had dis
covered. The latter many believe to be
the true message contained In the hero
glyphics, and enthusiasts have puzzled
much over them. II is possible that mod
err knowledge may find the actual mes,
sage from the medieval pHst-Cor Chi
vagO Herald.
A Hard Hit.
Judge ITO prisonerl- What led You to
commit Jis crime'
prisouer-Better HFR my LAWYER. He cur