After retiring from a career in the military, I now teach in public school and teach an Old Testament survey course at the local college. Even though it may be a survey course in Old Testament, one cannot avoid the Hebrew language. While researching paleo-Hebrew I ran into an inscription written in this ancient language. An abridged version of the 10 Commandments, this inscription resided in a desert. Nothing would raise an eyebrow if this inscription were to be discovered in the Sinai somewhere; but the fact that this inscription is found in New Mexico, US of A? That was two years ago. The degree of my amazement has never faded. The Los Lunas Decalogue is addictive. The stone sticks with you and sticks it to you with more questions than answers. Like some headmaster with a big ruler; this stone challenges old assumptions; requires a mastery of language, research of both Old and New World times. Consistent is the fact that few are aware of the stone inscription; even the locals. About 10 miles out in the desert I did ask for directions from a lady in a trailer office of a rock crushing company. Trucks loaded with gravel would pull up to this officer trailer and she would record the tonnage or something like that. “Excuse me, I am looking for directions. I am looking for a mesa nearby called Mystery Mountain. Would you happen to know where this is located?” “No, never heard of it,” she said. “Well, it is also called the Los Lunas Decalogue Stone.” “What’s a “Decalogue?” “Oh, Decalogue is a word that refers to the 10 Commandments. Do you know of a mesa/mountain that has a stone with the 10 Commandments on it? “Never heard of it,” she replied, “but I saw people bumping around the desert six month ago. Saw the silly people ruining their truck from that window. We have some crazy people visit this area.” For the most part, people genuinely want to give you what you are asking for; especially directions and there is a frustration when they cannot. “Honey,” [I love it when people call you honey] “I don’t know where this mountain you are speaking of is, but you probably have not gone far enough. Keep going and turn right at the burning bush.” We both fell out laughing and I thanked her. Even the locals are unaware of this awesome stone written in a very old language. She was right about one thing. I had not gone far enough. With several more hours I put the satellite photo into focus of the Rio Puerco ; railroad tracks and a bridge across. There was only one badly sun faded sign that said: “Mystery Mountain.” I was at the right mesa. Two more hours of wandering around dead end drops I saw the twin peaks and honed in on it. Once I could see the avenue of approach, the first sight of the stone was no more than a 1000 meters forward.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 08:17:51 +0000
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