The Newark Holy Stones: “A Mystery Which Time Alone Can Dissipate” with Brad Lepper and Jeff Gill
September 16, 2026 @ 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Join us on September 16, 2026 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM for a presentation by Brad Lepper and Jeff Gill on The Newark Holy Stones: “a mystery which time alone can dissipate.” The Newark Holy Stones were carved objects engraved with Hebrew letters, discovered at several locations in Licking County, Ohio, when archaeology was still in its infancy. At the time, debate continued over who built the ancient mounds of the Ohio Valley. If authentic, the stones would have supported the claim that ancient Israelites built them. However, growing scientific evidence pointed instead to the ancestors of American Indians. Brad and Jeff reveal how they established that the Holy Stones were scientific forgeries, identify the likely perpetrators and their possible motives, and explain why the issues surrounding the stones remain relevant today. The museum will be free to the public from 12:00 to 4:00 PM on September 16th. 

This program is part of the Ohio History’s Connection’s Ohio Open Doors event. The goal of Ohio Open Doors is to share and celebrate the historic buildings and places across Ohio. Walk through those doors and visit them from September 10–20. There are 300 events scheduled across all of Ohio's 88 counties, meeting (and surpassing) our goal of 250 events in all counties. For a searchable list of events, visit ohiohistory.org/opendoors.