Marvel at the Mysterious Judaculla Rock
Located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina lies the mysterious Judaculla Rock a large soapstone boulder whose scars and carvings have led its many visitors with more questions than answers.
Although much of Native American oral history has been lost to the passage of time the legend of Judaculla and the mysterious rock persisted even as the Cherokee tribe was pushed further and further westward and away from their original homeland. According to legend, the nearby Blueridge Mountain Range was home to a seven fingered giant whose voice boomed with the thunder of storms and whose arrows became lightning as they were fired from his mighty bow. Judaculla watched over the tribes from his Judgement Seat a throne shaped rock formation known today as the Devil’s Courthouse to insure tribes respected one another’s hunting grounds. Many archeological theories circulate around the exact purpose and age of the boulder and just exactly what the stone depicts. One of the most prominent and widely accepted theories is that the stone served as a border marker for tribal hunting grounds and if you look closely enough at the stone from the nearby viewing platform you may just spot the massive indentation of a seven fingered hand that according to legend was made by Judaculla has he lept between the nearby mountain tops.
Today the stone is a marvel of Asheville’s unique geography and history. The sheer size of the stone is impressive measuring an astounding twenty-six square feet. Besides its remarkable size the numerous imprints, scars, and carvings make it stand out as one of the best and only surviving pieces of prehistoric art in the region. Stone carvings also known as petroglyphs are really only found in North America in the Southwest so the stone itself is seen as an anomaly. Recent archeological evidence suggests that the stone was first carved by human hands nearly four thousand years ago but the rock is believed to have first served a more rudimentary rather than artistic function. The oldest and deepest scars on the stone suggest that the rock was first used to craft stone bowls and other tools which are collaborated by the other similar pieces of soapstone found in the area. What separates Judaculla Rock from these other pieces of soapstone is that sometime after the area served as a quarry humans began to carve symbols and geometric patterns on its surface. Exactly what these petroglyphs show is up to debate and interpretation as reading them has become more and more difficult as the surface is eroded more and more with the passage of time. You can try and decipher them for yourself when attending a Continuing Education Company CME conference in Asheville.
Besides the ranging theories of the stone’s purpose as a boundary marker, many archeologists believe that the stone may have also depicted a kind of picture map of the area to make it easier for tribes to navigate. Judaculla Rock has recently been added to the National Register of Historic Places and careful archeological work is still being undertaken in the area. Two other large stones that were buried in an old mining accident are meticulously being unearthed and they may hold the key to unlocking a few of the old stone’s ancient secrets.
The stone is a unique wonder of Asheville and a must-see stop for anyone interested in history. A large wooden viewing platform has recently been constructed around the rock to give guests panoramic views of its remarkable surface. Beautiful forest and mountain scenery surrounds the beautiful stone and provides plenty of hiking trails for anyone looking to explore the area’s unique geography. Although the exact history of Judaculla Rock may have been lost to time legends both ancient and modern continue to swirl around the stone. You may just hear the whispers of ghost stories about it told by locals or hear the booming voice of Judaculla himself in the claps of thunder of a passing mountain storm if you decide to join us at our Primary Care CME or Hospitalist conference in Asheville.
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