In a message dated 12/13/2006 3:55:52 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Anyone  know the history of hollow cornerstones with 
deliberately added  contents?



Tim,
 
It could be that cornerstones are vestigial (and fun) traditions left over  
from Roman builders pits. According to Ralph Merrifield (who we discussed in 
the  thread on concealments), Romans introduced the spiritual belief of the need 
to  intercede with earth spirits (owners of the land upon which the Romans 
wished to  build) and native people adopted the practice with added traditions 
thrown in  over time. Romans, and apparently Norse builders, buried offerings 
in the form  of precious metals, bottles of wine, and other precious things to 
ensure the  earth spirits would not crack the foundations or cause structural 
problems. By  the 18th and 19th centuries, builders inserted coins and 
mementos and religious  icons "for tradition" (or simply saying, "its custom"). I 
suspect the practice  evolved from any taint of spiritual meaning to simply a fun 
commemoration of the  milestone of construction. Of course, there could be 
practical reasons for  inserting ownership papers in a hollow block of granite 
in the foundations as  well. Today, it is just a fun thing to do (like pitching 
copper pennies in a dig  pit before backfilling [kind of like American G.I.s 
writing, "Kilroy was here"  on walls their military unit passed]), which I 
suppose is why no one was  concerned when the kid inserted the curse in the Coke 
bottle.
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.