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Judaculla Rock
Mysterious ancient boulder carved with petroglyphs in the mountains of Western North Carolina
Category Unusual Monuments, Strange Statues, Lost Tribes
Cave drawings are more often thought of as the domain of France, but there are incredible petroglyphs in North America, too, dating back to 2000 BC.
The Judaculla Rock was a sacred site for the Cherokee Indians before the colonization of North America, and this engraved soapstone boulder can still be visited in western North Carolina. The Cherokees believed Juaculla (or Tsul'Kalu) an ancient giant-like creature, landed on the rock while jumping from one mountain to another, and thus the rock bears his seven-fingered hand print.
There is lingering folklore about ghost sounds being heard around the rock at night, made spookier by the location of a cemetery a few hundred feet away.
Two other engraved rocks are said to be in the area: one was buried in a mining accident and the other, perhaps, is also buried. Dominated by mining the mineral-rich mountains, the area has never been fully excavated. In a limited dig, archeologists found quarry tools near-by and have speculated that the soapstone rock could have been engraved around the time that soapstone bowls are dated too, either between 3000-2000 BC or around 200 BC. Currently the rock is quickly eroding and evades study.
The rock was donated to Jackson County, and they are taking steps to prevent erosion and preserve the rock for viewing. It is open during day light hours.
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- Hours Daylight hours
- Website Judaculla Rock
- Address Sylva, North Carolina, United States
- Cost Free
From US 74, take Exit 85 to Business Route 23 through Sylva. Stay on 23 1.3 miles to NC 107, then turn left onto 107. Drive 8 miles south on 107 and take a left onto Caney Fork Road, County Road 1737. Go 2.5 miles then turn left onto a gravel road and drive 0.45 mile. The rock is on the right, and parking is on the left. There are no restrooms, water fountains, or other such amenities. Youll only find the rock and a wooden viewing platform. Due to neglect by Jackson County, there isnt even a display regarding the stones history. Please do not sit on the rock, as any such contact will only increase the rate of erosion.
Comments
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Anonymous
January 30, 2012
I've been to Judaculla Rock many times and I live in the area and I can tell you it is actually in Cullowhee, North Carolina, not Sylva. Caney Fork is served by our Post Office and Judaculla Rock is located in that community. Over the past few years, they have made many improvements to the area around the rock, including building new access trails, a greenway access point and an observation platform made out of stone and wood. The new improvements are going to reduce erosion of the rock and have exposed more of the carvings, many of which had been buried over the years. The improvements aren't 100% complete, but I love the rock, it is a strange treasure which really should be better known and studied more throughly.
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