Music and the Rosslyn Cubes

Stuart Mitchell has made the news recently for collaborating with his father Thomas Mitchell in cracking the code of the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel Cubes. (For the whole 27 Apr 2006 Scotsman article, click HERE The first news of this hit the Scotsman back on 4 Oct 2005) The Mitchells believe that the 213 cubes hold the code to a piece of medieval music that will unlock the secrets in the stones of Rosslyn. Thomas Mitchell has been working on this problem for the last 20 years. According to the Scotsman article, The breakthrough to interpreting the notation came when Mitchell's father discovered that the markings carved on the face of the cubes seem to match a phenomenon called Cymatics or Chladni patterns. Chladni patterns form when a sustained note is used to vibrate a sheet of metal covered in powder producing marks.

Well its not that much of a break through. On 16 June 2002, the Scotsman reported a similar theory in the article Japanese bid to solve mystery of the Rosslyn cubes. As early as 2002, Panasonic UK has been working on the cube mystery with, eight scientists and music specialists from around the world. Their slant was that the music produced from the cube code might produce a sort of healing music. Their hope was that some sacred cord which would enhance the ultrasonic healing devices the Panasonic markets.

Oddly enough, Panasonic's key to breaking the code might sound familiar. The article states, One of the theories is that the notes were recorded using a brass plate covered with sand. When the brass plate was struck with a bow, it vibrated, creating a distinctive pattern of sand lines for that particular note.

So whats really going on here? Did the April 2006 Scotsman article overstate the Mitchells making a break through in cracking the code? Is there a connection between the Panasonic UKs research and the Mitchell project?

Not that this is any earth shattering conspiracy, but there are some interesting questions raised in the discrepancies. I'll snoop some more and post any additional findings.