Georgia Guidestones: Elberton’s Mystifying Stone Monument

In the late 1970s, a man with an assumed name showed up at a business dedicated to stone carving in Georgia and placed a very peculiar work order. R.C. Christian—as the mystery man called himself—asked Elberton Granite Finishing Company to build him a hulking stone monument with a cryptic set of directions seemingly designed to help guide humanity into the future. R.C. Christian even reportedly built a time capsule to be buried beneath the monument—though the existence of the time capsule has never been confirmed.

Photo by Shawn Taylor/Flickr

Virtually nothing is known about the true identity of R.C. Christian, or his intentions. Since R.C. Christian’s strange stone monument was erected in 1980, onlookers have debated its meaning. The Georgia Guidestones—as the monument is now known—features 10 guidelines which are inscribed in 8 modern languages. The guidelines urge onlookers to live harmoniously with nature, not allow the human population to exceed 500,000,000, and temper all pursuits with reason. There are also 4 ancient languages which grace the corners of the monument.

Photo by Shawn Taylor/Flickr

Every day at noon, the sun illuminates a slot in the monument. Proponents of the Georgia Guidestones claim that the monument celebrates nature, reason, and a harmonious utopian vision of the future. Detractions claim that R.C. Christian is an authoritarian who was aligned with the devil. Unfortunately, the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs engraved in one of the corners of the monument do not offer any clues about how to interpret R.C. Christian’s cryptic instructions.

Photo by Shawn Taylor/Flickr

Regardless if the Georgia Guidestones feature recommendations for rebuilding a society which has been reduced to ash, or simply living one’s best life in any decade—R.C. Christian’s bizarre stone monument is certainly worth a visit. There aren’t many other Stonehenge-like structures in the Southern United States. An afternoon spent scrutinizing the Georgia Guidestones may offer you some clue as to what they truly mean.

Photo by Shawn Taylor/Flickr

Address:
1031 Guide Stones Road
Elberton, Georgia, 30635
United States