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One symbol found among their stone carvings is said to be connected to a powerful and mystical ancient being. Could this rock provide a bridge to another world? It's January 2021, deep in the mountains of Jackson County, North Carolina. YouTubers Shane Simmons and Melody West have traveled to a mysterious site famed throughout the state.
[Shane] Let's get out and take a look. - [Melody] Let's do it. - [Shane] You ready for this? - [Melody] I'm ready. - [Tony] At the bottom of a small hill, a large, gray, soapstone boulder emerges, nestled in the grass. - [Shane] A lot of interesting carvings on here. - [Tony] But up close, it's clear the curves and cuts combine to tell an ancient story. - And when you get down there, the first thing you wanna look for is the seven fingers of Judaculla. - [Tony] The legend claims the seven fingers are the actual handprint of an ancient seven-fingered giant.
Author Alexis Brooks says the Cherokee people consider Judaculla to be a psychopomp, a being that guides souls between the material world and the spiritual one. - The Judaculla giant is said to come from the mountaintop, and has landed on this rock, but he did so with a purpose. He was there to chase off intruders. - [Tony] But perhaps Judaculla isn't simply a mystical giant coming down from the mountains, but rather an ancient astronaut visitor coming from outer space.
Author Jason Martell says the story goes that when Judaculla crashed into the rock, he may have opened a portal to other worlds, perhaps to where he originated. - We know that there's been a lot of UFO activity in the area. This may be some type of beacon or a lighthouse, perhaps opening some type of lost energy field. It has even been suggested that Judaculla, the giant himself, used this as a gateway that would allow for communication even today.
[Tony] Shane says this force of energy is something he felt firsthand. - Touching the rock itself, it gave a little bit of a charge, for lack of a better word, you just feel something from the rock. - Stories of powerful giants can be found in numerous ancient texts. From the Greek Gigantes to the Hebrew Nephilim, some believe these giants really walk the earth. So could Judaculla be a similar supersized being? Let's see how our experts measure up. (tense music) Archeologist Dr. Ed Barnhart considers if this mark was truly left by Judaculla, the giant. - Many people believe that print there was his actual hand print.
But in actuality, we can see that it is carved into the stone. - [Tony] Barnhart says the well-defined edges and grooves that seem to curl up toward the rock face prove that it's been chiseled out since a handprint impression like this one made in clay would be less delineated and more diffused. - This stone was probably carved hundreds and hundreds of years ago. - [Tony] What's more, Barnhart doesn't believe the stone is telling us just one story, but instead, many. - At 1,500 different carvings, that's the most on any stone in all of North America.
Ancient Carvings and Mysterious Stones: Unveiling the Secrets of the Judaculla Rock
The initial carvings on this stone could be reaching back thousands of years ago. In my experience, rocks that have this much carving on them are not done in a single episode, they're done repeatedly over generations. - [Tony] And NASA geologist Dr. Bob Anderson adds that the type of rock has made it particularly convenient for petroglyphs. - The rock is made up of soapstone, which is a metamorphic rock, a rock that has been changed, it's been heated by pressure and/or temperature.
It actually makes it very soft and easy to carve into. - [Tony] Barnhart says, given the location of the rock, it was likely carved during the Mississippian period, which lasted from about 800 AD to around 1600 AD and saw the development of some of the most complex societies that had ever existed in North America. - Big, unique pieces of geology, and topography like this were oftentimes landmarks along protected trade routes. Of course, the Mississippian civilization was a bunch of independent city-states, and you didn't want to accidentally,
Without permission, cross from one territory to another because you would be in big trouble. - [Tony] So maybe there's some truth to the legend of Judaculla, at least the part about the rock being used to scare away intruders and mark the tribe's turf. - This was a marker that showed the extent of what their tribe was so that people would understand that they would be protecting this land.
Before smartphones, before the internet, before computers, this is the way that the people were actually talking tribe to tribe. It's just like using Google Maps that you have on your cars nowadays. (tense music) - Our verdict, these complex markings were engraved by Indigenous peoples as a sophisticated map. While the story of Judaculla is compelling, we have no evidence the markings on this boulder belong on his list of accomplishments, though we still have no idea why visitors say the rock seems to have other-worldly energy. October 16th, 2018.
A hiker is winding his way through a dense forest in Sacré-Coeur, Canada when his trek through the woods takes a shocking turn, so he takes out his camera and records this. The land begins shaking before him. The ground seems to inflate and then deflate. It's almost as if the Earth is breathing. So could the forest be alive? According to journalist Erin McCarthy, one theory suggests it just may be. - The theory is that this is all possible through mycorrhizal networks, which are essentially fungal filaments that link up with the tree roots in a symbiotic relationship.
Say for example there's a plant over here that's being eaten by insects. It will emit chemicals called volatile organic compounds that will actually warn nearby plants that it is being attacked, and then those plants will also emit their own chemical that makes them not so palatable to any insects. - [Tony] Could that mycorrhizal network warning system be so powerful that it would cause the ground to suddenly move, or are we looking at a different kind of phenomenon? McCarthy says another kind of mysterious force may be at work. It's a phenomenon known as a fairy trap.
Researchers have documented multiple reports nearby from the island of Newfoundland, Canada. The idea was travelers on long journeys would leave gifts and offerings to fairies for good weather or safe passage, but those who did not could be tricked and trapped. (tree thudding) - Some areas of the Canadian wilderness are said to be fairy hotspots.
According to one tale, there was a man who was wandering through the forest and encountered a stand of trees that he had never seen on that path before. This obviously freaked him out quite a bit, and so he walked the path back and forth about three times, and on the third time, the trees disappeared and everything was back to normal. Could we possibly be looking at a fairy trap here? - So what do we have here? Trees communicating and reacting to an oncoming threat? Fairies at work? It's estimated Canada is home to almost 318 billion trees, which represents 30% of the whole world's forests.
Unraveling the Mystery: Experts Weigh in on Thessaloniki's Strange Sounds
But what do our experts think we have here? Let's make sure they don't miss the forest for the trees. (tense music) First, we talk to meteorologist Juan Hernandez. With the ground moving so violently, is the answer obvious? Could this be some kind of earthquake? - Seismographs are located everywhere across the globe, and if it was an earthquake, we would have seen a jolt in the seismograph, at least a couple of waves.
We did not pick that up from here. - [Tony] So it may not be a quake, but Hernandez is convinced that Mother Nature is definitely playing a role. - If we look at the wind gusts that specific day on October 16th, they were approaching 61 miles an hour. Now you would expect a significant amount of movement in the trees. Taking a look at the entire month, this was the windiest day. - [Tony] Okay, so high winds might obviously sway trees, but actually move the Earth like that? We don't even see that during a hurricane.
But what about the idea that trees are communicating? Could the trees be connected as part of a woodwide web, sending signals and speaking to each other through the mycorrhizal network? NASA geologist Bob Anderson can't say for sure. Instead, he sees clues in the video to explain what's happening. Check out the moss. - Well, the first thing you could notice in this area is these big boulders. These boulders are lying all over the place, which tells me that those boulders are also under the ground, so there's not a lot of soil under there.
My second clue is this green that you see here. It's a layer of moss that grows all around it. - [Tony] While the moss may look like solid ground, it's, in fact, more like a doormat covering the rocks, and very thin. - So what you have here is a rocky type of soil with a tree on top with roots that are very weak and then covered with moss. That's a very unstable tree system. - [Tony] So both Anderson and Hernandez say it's ultimately a combination of factors led by the weather, a strong, heavy wind getting under a loosely connected layer of moss and earth. - It's probably what we call a microburst, where you get a tremendous amount of air driven down to the ground.
It's literally pulling up that layer of moss with its roots, causing trees to move and making it look like something breathing. (tense music) - Our verdict? We're going with loose soil and strong winds. We think Anderson's analysis of mossy topsoil coupled with a possible microburst that day is ultimately responsible. But while these trees are not necessarily breathing so to speak, they do help humans, too. On average, one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.
Two mature trees can provide enough for a family of four. It's after midnight in early December 2021 and the residents of the Meteora Polichni area in Thessaloniki, Greece are awakened by a strange and booming noise. (rhythmic deep thumping) - (speaking Greek) (dog barking) - [Tony] Take a listen to that sound again. (rhythmic deep thumping) Residents have described it as deafening and otherworldly and it can be heard from over a mile away as it makes the ground shake and tremble.
(speaking Greek) (rhythmic deep thumping) - [Tony] Representatives from the Thessaloniki Water Supply Authority quickly said the sounds weren't emanating from any sewer system. Journalist Erin McCarthy says that's when the citizens began to speculate. - There are a lot of theories as to what these sounds could be. Some have suggested that maybe someone is digging secret underground tunnels. - [Tony] You see, 16.5 feet below street level are the catacombs of St.
John, a vast array of underground tunnels that many believe are only part of a huge hidden subterranean network that's still being extended. Then, there's the supernatural theory. McCarthy says that Thessaloniki is frequently called the City Of Ghosts, known for its many allegedly haunted locations. - Some have even wondered, could this be a ghostly, tortured spirit? The area actually became one of the most visited spots for paranormal enthusiasts. - [Tony] There may be no bigger draw for ghost hunters than the legendary Longos Mansion, also known as the Red House.
Mysteries of the Red House: Ghosts, Earthquakes, or Something Else?
It's a huge mansion that was built in 1926 for local industrialist Ioannis Longos. Almost immediately, really weird things started happening at the Red House. Part of the building was destroyed in a fire and there were reports of paranormal activity. - [Tony] Many residents have reported strange sounds and noises from the Red House. Rumors even spread that it was housing a crypt of vampires. Perhaps that's the origin of these strange sounds, or perhaps there's a simple seismological explanation. - Others have suggested that maybe it's an earthquake. - So, strange noises in an ancient Greek city.
We've got ghosts, earthquakes, and secret tunneling as competing theories. To find out what's really responsible for all the ruckus, we need our experts to sound off. (tense music) First up, geologist Dr. Bob Anderson considers the seismic theory. (rhythmic deep thumping) - Well, the most common sounds that you would get in nature would be earthquakes or faults or something breaking, but those kinds of sounds that you hear, are very short-lived, very quick. (rhythmic deep thumping) (people speaking Greek) - This sound is very rhythmic, it's very constant.
It doesn't actually vary very much at all, which leads me to believe that it's some machinery down below, whether they are digging tunnels, running pipe, or whether there is a power station or something nearby. - [Tony] Forensic Audio Analyst, Dr. Rob Maher, agrees with Anderson that the noises seem to be mechanical in nature. - When we look at the time waveform and the spectrogram for the sound… (rhythmic deep thumping) The time between the different sounds varies a little bit, but they have that relatively rhythmic quality to them.
The fact that they're relatively loud and low frequency indicates to me there's some mechanical aspect to this. - [Tony] But what's making the mechanical pounding? Troubled ghosts, secret excavators? Maher has his own theory. - One of the sources of a rhythmic sound like this could be a plumbing phenomenon known as a water hammer. (water hammer thumping) Anyone who might have steam radiators is familiar with this "whump" sound that happens due to the flow of those liquids in the thermal system of the pipe.
[Tony] When a valve of running water is quickly closed, the stream slams into the valve at nearly eight times the pressure, creating a shock wave through the pipes that make the water hammer sound. And the bigger the pipes, the bigger the sound. - So that type of sound is what we're hearing here, but on a much larger scale. - [Tony] He puts the theory to the test when he runs a comparative analysis of the Thessaloniki mystery sounds and the sounds made by a residential water hammer in action.
When we look at this recording of a water hammer situation in a residence… (water hammer thumping) We can see that there is a lot of energy in this low-frequency range down to around 100 hertz. So the mechanical source of the sound is very similar. (rhythmic deep thumping) (water hammer thumping) The characteristics of the frequency range and the repetition are both consistent between those two types of sounds. (tense music) - Our verdict, water hammer. Incidentally, we did some more digging and it turns out that even though representatives from Thessaloniki Water Supply originally denied the noise was coming from them,
The president of the Water Authority later made an announcement that the sound was coming from routine tuning of the water supply. So for now, let's just call this water under the bridge. It's July 2016 in Mineral County, West Virginia. A nature photographer is taking pictures around Jennings Randolph Lake when she sees something mysterious and snaps a shot. Her photo shows a rock formation with an almost honeycomb appearance on its face like a stone beehive. The pattern is geometrical with straight rows of triangles and rhombuses, which make it look somewhat like a waffle.
It's darker in color than the rock face and appears in relief, which makes it stand out. Journalist Eric Grundhauser confirms that it often draws curious visitors. - What makes it so evocative is the way that the shapes here and the design on the rock are so seemingly uniform. When we see natural formations, we often think of them as a little bit more random, a little bit more chaotic. But the design on Waffle Rock seems to be a bit more ordered. It seems to have a reason for it.
The Mystery of Waffle Rock: Theories and Expert Insights
[Tony] So it looks like the rock isn't random and Grundhauser wonders if it's trying to tell us something. - One theory is that it is a design created by an ancient culture that was trying to leave some sort of message or hieroglyphic and left it in this indecipherable code. - If that were the case, it would've been chiseled into the rock. We know that ancient Native Americans in what is now western North Carolina, etched this curvilinear motif into a soapstone boulder known as Judaculla Rock more than 2000 years ago.
It is considered a mystical sight to many Cherokee, but there's an even more ancient possibility. - Another theory is that this is actually the fossilized imprint of the skin of some kind of giant lizard left behind in the stone. - [Tony] Specifically, some have speculated that it's the fossilized or even mummified remains of a dinosaur. Sound farfetched? Well, look at this. This is the perfectly preserved mummy of a Nodosaurus dinosaur found by miners in Alberta, Canada in 2011.
It got this way because it sank into the muck shortly after it died, preserving its skin and armor. Yet Grundhauser has one more idea about the rock's origin. - Still, another theory posits that it was created by extraterrestrials. Either created intentionally as some kind of map for other extraterrestrials or to mark their passing. - So could this be the work of intelligent alien design? Though the Waffle Rock formation is not at all common, similar pattern stones have been found in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, and at Tea Creek Mountain in West Virginia.
Still, this one in Mineral County is by far the largest. So what are these bizarre boulders and where do they come from? Let's turn to the experts. (mysterious music) Anthropologist, Kathy Strain considers if this could be an ancient artwork. - I'm not seeing anything typical of what you would see with Native American rock art. It's not a typical design. It doesn't have any kind of structure that a Native American would want to convey. - Perhaps then this is ancient writing, maybe even from a lost language? Archeologist Dr.
Ed Barnhart is an epigrapher who translates cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and unknown ancient scripts. He gives the strange pattern a look. - This waffle rock doesn't follow any of the rules of making something that's communicating a message in stone. The reader and the writer have to agree on a set amount of symbols or it doesn't work as a code. When you look at Waffle Rock, there is no pattern.
It is very complex and very geometric. There are lots of lines, but there are no repeated or different symbols. - [Tony] If we can rule out manmade origins. What about the idea that this is fossilized skin or scales from an ancient creature like a dinosaur? - A fossil is simply the calcium in bone being replaced with rock through millions of years of being covered with mud. When I look at it, I don't see any fossilization at all. There's nothing there that would indicate calcium like a bone structure or any organics at all. - We turn next to geologist Bob Anderson.
Perhaps earth science might offer some guidance here. Could this be some sort of natural geological formation? - You'll see that there are multiple, what we call joint patterns here. And what happens is that these are fluids that are running through this rock. Either iron fluids or water fluids, even magma was running through these cracks in the rocks and it hardened and eroded away at a different pace. And so you see what's called a waffle pattern, and this is natural we see in all kinds of crystals. - [Tony] Anderson says the movement of tectonic plates caused cracks in the sandstone that likely filled with iron oxide mixed with sand and formed a hard cement-like material resistant to weathering compared to the surrounding stone.
As the surrounding rock gradually eroded, it left behind the iron oxide pattern. (mysterious music) Our verdict, this is a natural phenomenon likely caused by iron oxide flowing into a crack in the rock and hardening into this pattern. Scientists who have studied the rock say the pattern formed hundreds of millions of years ago, so it had to have resulted from geological processes. The fact that it's made by nature makes the waffle rock even more intriguing and one of the most visually interesting rock formations we've ever seen.
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Judaculla Rock | |
| Description | Large soapstone boulder with carvings in Jackson County, North Carolina. |
| Legend | Connected to Judaculla, a seven-fingered giant considered a psychopomp by the Cherokee people. |
| Theories | Possible ancient astronaut, portal to other worlds, or energy beacon. |
| Expert Opinions | Dr. Ed Barnhart (Archaeologist) - Carvings likely made by Indigenous peoples during the Mississippian period. |
| Geology | Dr. Bob Anderson (NASA Geologist) - Soapstone is soft and easy to carve; carvings made over generations. |
| Modern Interpretation | Shane Simmons and Melody West - Felt an "other-worldly energy" from the rock. |
| Breathing Forest in Canada | |
| Phenomenon | The ground appears to breathe in Sacré-Coeur, Canada. |
| Theories | Mycorrhizal networks, fairy traps, or natural weather phenomena. |
| Expert Opinions | Juan Hernandez (Meteorologist) - High winds causing microbursts. |
| Geology | Dr. Bob Anderson (NASA Geologist) - Loose, moss-covered soil with underlying boulders. |
| Verdict | Combination of loose soil, strong winds, and microbursts. |
| Strange Sounds in Thessaloniki | |
| Description | Booming, rhythmic noise heard in Meteora Polichni area, Thessaloniki, Greece. |
| Theories | Underground tunnels, ghostly activity, or mechanical origins. |
| Expert Opinions | Dr. Bob Anderson (Geologist) - Mechanical sounds likely from machinery. |
| Forensic Analysis | Dr. Rob Maher (Forensic Audio Analyst) - Sound resembles a large-scale water hammer effect. |
| Verdict | Likely caused by routine water supply tuning, resembling water hammer phenomena. |
| Waffle Rock in West Virginia | |
| Description | Rock formation with geometric, honeycomb-like pattern at Jennings Randolph Lake, Mineral County, West Virginia. |
| Theories | Ancient artwork, fossilized dinosaur skin, or extraterrestrial origin. |
| Expert Opinions | Kathy Strain (Anthropologist) - Not typical Native American rock art. |
| Dr. Ed Barnhart (Archaeologist) - No pattern indicating a written code. | |
| Fossil Theory | Lack of calcium or organic materials to suggest fossilization. |
| Geology | Dr. Bob Anderson (Geologist) - Natural formation from iron oxide filling cracks in sandstone, eroded over millions of years. |
| Verdict | The natural geological process resulting in iron oxide pattern. |
FAQS about the Judaculla Rock and Other Mysteries
1. What is Judaculla Rock?
Judaculla Rock is a large soapstone boulder located in Jackson County, North Carolina. It is covered with ancient carvings believed to date back to the Mississippian period (800 AD - 1600 AD).
2. Who is Judaculla?
Judaculla, according to Cherokee legend, is an ancient giant with seven fingers who left his handprint on the rock. Some interpretations suggest he was a psychopomp, guiding souls between worlds, while others theorize he could have been an ancient astronaut.
3. What is the significance of the carvings on Judaculla Rock?
The carvings are thought to represent multiple stories and messages from ancient times. Some believe they served as a sophisticated map or territorial marker for the Cherokee people, indicating boundaries and warning intruders.
4. What is the legend of the seven-fingered giant?
The legend states that Judaculla, a seven-fingered giant, left his handprint on the rock while chasing off intruders. This handprint is among the many carvings on the rock.
5. Could Judaculla Rock be linked to extraterrestrial activity?
Some theories suggest that Judaculla Rock might be a beacon or a portal to other worlds due to the area's reported UFO activity. However, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
6. What do experts say about the origin of the carvings?
Experts like archaeologist Dr. Ed Barnhart and NASA geologist Dr. Bob Anderson believe the carvings were made by indigenous peoples over many generations. The soapstone's softness made it an ideal medium for such carvings.
7. What other mysteries are associated with Judaculla Rock?
Beyond the carvings, visitors have reported feeling an otherworldly energy when touching the rock, although no scientific explanation has been confirmed.
8. Are there similar rocks with ancient carvings in North America?
Yes, other rocks with ancient carvings exist, but Judaculla Rock is notable for having the most carvings on any single stone in North America.
9. What is Waffle Rock and where is it located?
Waffle Rock is a rock formation found in Mineral County, West Virginia, with a unique honeycomb pattern. Its geometric design has led to various theories about its origin, including ancient artwork, fossilized remains, and extraterrestrial creation.
10. What do experts believe about the origin of Waffle Rock?
Geologists believe the pattern on Waffle Rock is a natural phenomenon caused by iron oxide filling cracks in sandstone, which then hardened and weathered differently than the surrounding rock.
11. What is the significance of the mycorrhizal networks mentioned in the article?
Mycorrhizal networks are fungal filaments that link tree roots, enabling trees to communicate and react to threats. This phenomenon is an example of the complex interconnections within forest ecosystems.
12. What caused the strange noises in Thessaloniki, Greece?
Experts believe the rhythmic, booming noises in Thessaloniki were likely caused by a plumbing phenomenon known as a water hammer, which occurs when water pressure creates shock waves in pipes.
13. What was the breathing ground phenomenon in Sacré-Coeur, Canada?
The "breathing" ground in Sacré-Coeur was likely caused by strong winds combined with a loosely connected layer of moss and soil over rocky terrain, creating an illusion of the ground inflating and deflating.
14. What are some common explanations for mysterious sounds and phenomena in nature?
Common explanations include geological processes, natural weather events, and human activities. Occasionally, these phenomena are also linked to folklore and local legends.