Brandenburg stone facts for kids
The Brandenburg stone is a stone slab found in Brandenburg, Kentucky, United States in 1912. It has strange markings that look like letters. For many years, people wondered what these marks meant. Some thought they were from an ancient Welsh language, while others believed they were just natural scratches.
History of the Brandenburg Stone
In 1912, a farmer named Craig Crecelius found the stone in a field near the Ohio River in Brandenburg, Kentucky. The stone is made of a type of rock called oolite. It is about 29 inches (74 cm) long and 15.5 inches (39 cm) wide. Its thickness changes from 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm).
For over 50 years, Mr. Crecelius showed the stone at local fairs. He hoped someone could tell him what the markings were. At some point, the stone broke into three pieces.
In 1965, Mr. Crecelius gave the stone to Jon Whitfield. Eight years later, experts called archaeologists looked at the stone. They decided that the marks were just scratches made by nature, not real writing. The stone was kept at the Brandenburg library for a while. In 1995, it moved to a center in Clarksville, Indiana.
Later, in 1999, the stone was moved to the Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center for a year. After that, it went to the public library in Charlestown, Indiana. In January 2012, the stone was returned to the Meade county library.
Claims of Welsh Writing
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Jon Whitfield, who owned the stone, thought the marks might be from Wales. In 1998, two writers, Baram Blackett and Alan Wilson, looked at the stone. They said the marks were old Welsh writing. These writers have also made other unusual claims, like finding the grave of King Arthur.
They said the writing was in a script called Coelbren. This alphabet was actually invented by a man named Iolo Morganwg around 1791. Most Welsh experts agree that Coelbren is a fake alphabet. It was created by Iolo Morganwg, who was known for making up old stories and writings.
These claims about the Brandenburg stone have been shared widely. However, many experts have shown that these ideas are not true.
Is the Stone Real or Fake?
The Brandenburg stone has been talked about in several books. It was also featured in a TV show called America Unearthed. Author Jason Colavito has argued that the stone is not real. He believes it was made in the 1800s or early 1900s. This was a time when books promoting the "Coelbren" alphabet were popular in America.
