The Middle Fork Ogam Rock Shelter

Background

Having almost 600 ogam strokes, this site is probably one of the largest in Kentucky and perhaps the United States. After discovery in the early 1990s by Mr Michael Griffith, Breathitt Co, Ky & Dr David Feldman of Lancaster, the leading amateur epigrapher in Kentucky, Dr John Payne of Berea became involved.

Then Dr Payne contacted the Midwestern Epigraphic Society in 2002 for the translator, Mr Michel-Gérald Boutet of Laval, Québec to translate. In Feb 2003 Mr Boutet reported his initial analysis of this ogam site indicates the basic content concerns BOUNDARY MARKERS; and like the "Pig Pen" site the language appears to be Proto-Algonquian. In 2004 he announced that the site appears to be much older than he thought and considerably more work is needed before the message can be completely clear.

The Site

	Portion of the entrance boulder		Rock Shelter Wall Can you see the turtle head?

The rock shelter is located on the middle fork of the Kentucky River and is the kind favored by old world Celtic people - one with a large boulder at the entrance just under the overhanging rock roof, and a nearby source of water, in this case a river. Both the boulder and the back wall of the shelter are covered with hundreds of ogam grooves.

Its relative isolation and accessibility from only the river has protected the shelter from most modern graffiti. Periodic flooding has camouflaged the shelter entrance with debris and covered the lower levels of ogam grooves with protective layers of mud. All this made it hard to find once again in the Fall of 2002 for MES documentation and required washing the rock surface to reveal the ogam for tracing and photography. Every precaution was taken to preserve the site.

Some Remarks

Several "stars" appear in the ogam script, suggesting reference to those in the Kentucky night sky. If the translation does indicate astronomical references, site compass readings should be made to collaborate it. Natural circular depressions in the rock face seem to have been worked into the script and several possibly man-made "holes" may prove significance.

Curiously, a number of wide, deep and long grooves overlay more shallow grooves, implying a later attempt to change or "correct" the original inscriptions. The petina of these large grooves is noticeably darker too and could be from a pigment source rather than natural aging. This is mostly evident on the boulder. Perhaps a new religion was adopted by the culture/tribe or a different faction came into power and wanted to remove what were now deemed "politically or religiously incorrect". If true, this would add support to the rock shelters use being shaman indoctrination of neophytes and perhaps execution of various tribal rites. Again we will have to wait for a translation.

A missing piece from the boulder had been retrieved from the river and its original location on the boulder identified by aligning to severed ogam strokes. Other portions along the top edge of the boulder also seem to be missing - noted by interrupted ogam marks and a brighter rock petina than the rest of the boulder. Their loss probably does not affect the overall translation, but for the sake of completeness, their recovery should be attempted.

A Geologist who recently completed a scientific study the Kensington Rune Stone will now study this rock shelter to verify its antiquity.

References:

"The Celtic Connection" by Michel-Gérald Boutet, 1996, Stonehenge Viewpoint, P.O. Box 30887, Santa Barbara, Ca 93130-0887. More ogam translations and Amerindian connections by Boutet, and related articles by other writers.

Middle Fork Rock Shelter Inscription Fellow MES member J. Huston McCulloch's page.