No. 52: Jul-Aug 1987
Books and articles on Stonehenge, the Easter Island statues, and the Egyptian pyramids are legion. Granted that these structures are important and intriguing, we still ask why Costa Rica's meticulously wrought stone spheres are languishing in the wings of science. They epitomize exquisite workmanship. Such geometric perfection rendered in granite is remarkable-- -for any ancient culture. Lastly, the stones' purpose completely escapes us. Why strew such masterpieces of stoneworking around and even buried under the dark jungle floors?
M.T. Shoemaker also wonders about these things in a nice recapitulation of the stone-sphere mystery. His compilation of facts and figures only impels us to learn more about the spheres and what their shapers had in mind.
Such are the salient facts. To our regret, they tell us little about the How, Why, and perhaps Who of the spheres. (Shoemaker, Michael T.; "Strange Stone Spheres," Pursuit, 19:145, 1986.)
Reference. Costa Rica's stone spheres are covered in greater depth in our handbook: Ancient Man. This book is described here.
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