Mysterious stones, bones found in Granger

GRANGER, Ind. -- A South Bend archaeologist is now looking into a mistaken discovery. Landscapers found bones just feet away from a popular shopping plaza in Granger.

Those bones are believed to be from an animal and date back to the 1870s. The archaeologist who examined the remains said people stumble across bones, artifacts and tombstone all the time. What is unusual about this discovery are the stones that were also found.

It is something you do not see everyday. Stones that resemble tombstones scattered around bones, but that is exactly what some landscapers found Tuesday night.

"They did the right thing. Stopped, called the DNR and the DNR then called me," said Jay Vanderveen, an IUSB professor within the department of sociology and anthropology.

The erie discovery was examined by Vanderveen, who said the bones discovered appear to be the remains from a cow. "So, there is part of a long bone and a couple of rib bones," said Vanderveen. 

However, the stones remain a mystery. Three intact stones, along with two halves were found. What is confusing to Vanderveen is that the stones are made of cement and have unrecognizable symbols.

"The first one appears to be a Bible and that one you find all the time on tombstones. The second one is a little bit more abstract. It could be a dove or it could be a flame," said Vanderveen. 

Vanderveen said the artifacts were found on the property of a home dating back to before the 1870s and said the history of the home could reveal important details about the findings.

"I am going to have to do a bit more research and the DNR in Indianapolis is also going to look at the age of the house, who owned the house, what these things may have been and what other kind of settlement was here," said Vanderveen. 

The DNR will have to approve a permit to allow archaeologists to come dig up the site to further examine the artifacts found. Officials expect that to happen sometime later this week.