Mystery Stone from the Shenandoah: Analyzed with Eastern Woodland Cosmology

A beautiful tablet-like mystery stone has been found by the Shenandoah River, near Berryville, Virginia. Underneath its brown-orange patina, peck-marked shapes reveal a crystalline heartstone underneath and intriguing designs. Varied opinions have been offered by experts on the oriign of the designs, so the author takes you on a tour of the stone so you can make your own judgement. He illustrates surprising gestalts, their aesthetic nature, and how they resonate with Eastern Woodland cosmology of early America. They include the presence of a pervasive spiritual energy, the tension and complementariness of twins, and forms which suggest the archetypes of avian-man, earth mother, and skeletal shaman. With profuse images supported by commentary, we explore an alternative way to view the universe, and one that can enrich our lives.