This mysterious iron-rich sandstone rock is 1.96 inches (5-centimeters) by 1.69 inches (4.3-centimeters) diameter rock that weighs 50.78 grams.

Its raised pattern matches the August 2, 1996, wheat pattern found at Liddington Castle (animated to show it's precision).

It was found by Roswell auto repairman, Robert Ridge, 50, during his September 4, 2004, deer hunting trip near Capitan, New Mexico, 17 miles southeast from the July 1947 UFO crash site between Corona and Roswell.

When Robert Ridge experiments by holding a magnet over the crescent and circle at the thickest end of the rock, the rock turns counterclockwise. When he moves the magnet to the lower crescent and circle in the thinnest end of the rock, the rock reverses and turns clockwise.  He brought the rock to Linda Moulton Howe in 2008 to have it investigated.

In July 2008, Linda Moulton Howe interviewed James Constantopoulos, Ph.D., Professor of Geology and Chair of the Physical Sciences Department, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico:  “I think the rock's rotation changes relate to selective positioning of the magnet due to irregularities in the shape of the sample."

"YOU COULD NOT FIND ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF HOW THAT SPECIFIC PATTERN HAD BEEN CARVED SO THAT IT IS ALMOST EMERGING FROM THE SURFACE OF THIS HARD, FERRUGINOUS IRON ROCK."

"Yes, there was no difference in the body of the rock itself and the carving. It's all one piece. It doesn't look like it was stamped in any way like a metal stamping mill or anything like that. That area of the carving was completely consistent with the rest of the rock, and there was no evidence of how the rock pattern was made. Maybe a professional machine shop with the right tools could do it."

"BUT HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN IRON RICH ROCK WITH MAGNETITE LIKE THIS ONE BE CUT BY MACHINE TOOLS?"

"No, and what lends its very unique nature is the fact that it is a unique material to have been carved like this. It's a very well done carving with sharp edges. "

"AND BEVELED."

"Yes. It's precision work. "

"AND NOT KNOWING HOW IT WAS DONE IN A ROCK THAT NORMALLY NO ONE WOULD EVER CARVE, LEAVES YOU THINKING WHAT?"

"Wondering about the mystery of it. This rock certainly has me baffled."

You can Comment at Hearlink Blog