Sterling Run carving: what is it?
By Alex Davis News Assistant

Emporium resident Bunny McLean was among those who looked on with fascination at this enlarged photograph of the mysterious "mast in stone" near Sterling Run. It has been a conversation piece for decades and its origin remains a mystery. Alex Davis photo

Many have wondered about the origins of a carving evident on a huge rock in southern Cameron County for more than a century.

Upwards of 100 people who turned out at the spring dinner of the Cameron County Historical Society this week to learn about the "mast in stone" at Sterling Run.

Several people believe the rock carving is a ram's head. But keynote speaker Don Eckler from Houghton, N. Y., said he believes it may be goat's head or an owl.

Eckler added that there's no definitive answer. For instance, he said, a Cornell University researcher is convinced the carving is an owl.

The petroglyph has been analyzed for decades. If one could determine the artist who created it, the identification might be easier, Eckler said. He added that a goat's head symbolizes peace and life, while an owl depicts death.

"I am baffled after 17 years as to who made it and when," he said.

Eckler has determined that the petroglyph was created before the 1880s. He credited the carver for having extensive knowledge of the art, which dates back thousands of years.

"Whoever carved it almost had to do it sideways," he said. "That was quite a feat."

There are many other carvings in Cameron County rock surfaces, including Bradytown and Whitmore Hill.