Local Crop Circles in the 1800’s?

Barn with circle on bankOk Farmers or Historians (or Farmer Historians) – here’s your chance to help solve a mystery!

Jim Bohn has been writing a soon-to-be released book about a 19th Century, itinerant German, pen-and-ink drawing artist named Herman Markert entitled Herman Markert, The Picture Maker.

Little is known about Herman Markert; however, he left a rich legacy in his artwork.  The drawings bearing dates indicate Herman was in Pennsylvania in the 1870’s and 1880’s.  Before and after those dates, his whereabouts and life information remains a mystery.

One type of artwork that will be showcased shows property renderings with elaborate aerial perspective of farms – detailed enough that they can be considered a pictorial inventory of everything owned by the farmer (from buildings to livestock to carriages and crops).

One of the pen-and-ink drawings includes the barn pictured in this post.  THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP!  Notice a mysterious ring/symbol on the ramp leading to the entrance.   Presumably, this is done in the dirt/grass (but could be a wooden ramp).  No one is sure what that represents.

Do you happen to know:

  • Was this a standard symbol/practice done by farmers in the late 1800’s?
  • Is it a symbol representative of something else?
  • Could it be marks left by a mechanical device such as a grinding wheel for grain?
  • Why is the mark on the incline and near the door of the barn?
  • Are these animal tracks – perhaps an animal helping to turn a mechanism?
  • Could these be alien circle crop marks?

Any and all help and/or suggestions are welcome.  Feel free to post your thoughts and/or answers below!

Also, if – by chance – you happen to have your very own Herman Markert drawing (OR any information on this artist), please share!

Finally, if you’re interested in the upcoming book, you can contact Johanna Sayre – who is editing/producing the book for Mr. Bohn.

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