Not of This Earth

Artist Mark Arnold returns to our pages with this curious artifact discovered in the wreckage of a Roman-era ship.  Here's the tale.

The Dive of the Unknown: Unveiling the Extraterrestrial Relic

It was on our most recent treasure-hunting expedition, deep beneath the Mediterranean waves, that we stumbled upon a discovery beyond our wildest dreams. After years of searching, we had finally uncovered the remains of an ancient Roman merchant ship, lost to the sea over two thousand years ago. The wreck was a time capsule, preserving the stories of a bygone era under layers of sand and silt.

 

As we carefully sifted through the remnants of pottery, amphorae, and decayed wood, something unusual caught my eye—a glimmer of gold, partially buried under a layer of sediment. This wasn’t just any ordinary artifact. It was a fragment of something otherworldly, a piece of history that defied all conventional understanding.

 

Carefully, I brought the object to the surface. It was a broken piece of what appeared to be gold, yet its weight and texture were unlike anything I had ever encountered. The metal seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly sheen, hinting at secrets long forgotten. We sent it to the lab for analysis, eager to unlock its mysteries.

 

The results astounded us all. This was no ordinary gold; it was an extraterrestrial ore, something not of this Earth. Further investigation revealed that it had been worked by the hands of Arabic artisans over two millennia ago, perhaps passed through the hands of traders who traveled far and wide. But what was it? What purpose did it serve?

 

The piece, though fragmented, bore the intricate carvings of a creature—an unknown being, with a visage both mesmerizing and terrifying. Some experts speculated it could be a depiction of a long-forgotten deity, while others whispered a name that sent shivers down my spine: Great Cthulhu, a being from beyond the stars, immortalized in Lovecraftian mythos.

 

The relic is now mounted on a wooden base, preserved for all to see, a testament to the mysteries that lie beneath the waves and the strange truths that sometimes surface from the depths. Above it, the title plate reads:

"Extraterrestrial Ore, Crafted by Ancient Arabic Hands, Depicting an Unknown Creature, Perhaps the Great Cthulhu."

 

This discovery has left us with more questions than answers, a reminder that the past still holds many secrets, and that sometimes, those secrets are not of this world.

 

In truth, I shall be glad when it has gone from my possession and hangs in Miskatonic University for all to marvel, for it tasks me and I have known no peace since it came into my hands.