The Newport Tower
Medieval stone tower ... in Rhode Island. Does it look like any other Colonial structure you've seen? Recent carbon dating of the mortar indicates 1400s construction date (see post below).
The Westford Knight Sword
Medieval Battle Sword ... in Westford, Massachusetts. Can anyone deny the pommel, hilt and blade punch-marked into the bedrock?
The Spirit Pond Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription ... in Maine, near Popham Beach. Long passed off as a hoax, but how many people know the Runic language? And how is it that some of the Runic characters match rare runes on inscriptions found in Minnesota and Rhode Island? Carbon-dating of floorboards at nearby long house date to 1405.
The Narragansett Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription ... in Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. This Runic inscription is only visible for twenty minutes a day at low tide--is this also the work of a modern-day, Runic-speaking hoaxster?
The Westford Boat Stone
Medieval Ship Carving ... in Westford, MA. Found near the Westford Knight site. Weathering patterns of carving are consistent with that of 600-year-old artifact. And why would a Colonial trail-marker depict a knorr, a 14th-century ship?
The Kensington Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription... in Minnesota. Forensic geology confirms the carvings predate European settlement of Minnesota--so did Runic-speaking Native Americans carve it?
The Hooked X Rune
Medieval Runic Character ... on inscriptions found in Maine, Minnesota and Rhode Island. But this rare rune was only recently found in Europe. This conclusively disproves any hoax theory while also linking these three artifacts together.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Dating the Newport Tower
At a recent NEARA (New England Antiquities Research Association) conference held in Newport, RI (November 7-9, 2008), an announcement was made concerning the carbon-dating of mortar found during the Chronognostic Research Foundation's dig at the Newport Tower. Apparently a piece of shell (probably used to make the mortar) was found attached to the mortar. This sample was carbon-dated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the date of 1450 plus or minus 30 years was obtained. We are awaiting the full report and more details, but obviously this is the kind of "hard science" needed to establish that the Tower predates Columbus.
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4 comments:
David- I am really glad to have found your blog. I have tracked the story of the tower on line and in books & magazines for sometime. It was only last March(08)that I actually observed it first hand and I was so fascinated that I made several trips back to the site while we were staying in Newport. I was very happy to read the results of the latest dating efforts which seems more realistic than the previous ones. As you know, they were all over the place.
I was fascinated by the structure's exterior,but the inside is more interesting yet.The 8 arched columns resemble the structure around either the Dome of The Rock or Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The #8 is significant to the Templars;I believe it represents the 8 beatitudes.There are many buildings around the country to include the US Capitol that have a structure on the top that mimics the stone tower.
I was actually at the Tower this morning, hoping to see the winter solstice illumination (during the solstice the sun shines through a small window and illuminates an orange, egg-shaped stone). Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate...
The 8 arched columns resemble the structure around either the Dome of The Rock or Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Yes, and also the Templar Church in London. Templar Church is surrounded by an ambulatory and may be the prototype for the Newport Tower.
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