Posted by Don Eckler on December 30, 2000 at 13:30:57:
I have been doing research for about 12 years on a petroglyph of a goat with 2 sets of horns. I am very much aware that Jacob Sheep and several others are commonly known to have 2 sets of horns and even 3 sets in rare cases, but I have never heard of any goats having more than one set of horns.
However,I have the following reputable reference from Mackey's HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY,(Volume 7, page 1780)...."Figure 17,(an icon pictured in his ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FREEMASONRY Volume 2, page 801),is a representation of A FOUR-HORNED GOAT, WHICH IS SAID TO BE FROM SPAIN, WITH TWO UPRIGHT AND TWO LATERAL HORNS. THIS ANIMAL WAS ALIVE IN LONDON IN 1769....". (This description might also be made of the configuration of some Jacob Sheep horns.)
I have conjectured that since sheep and goats may have had a common ancestry in the far distant past there might be someone who has some knowledge of an ancient strain of goats that has since become extinct.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Don Eckler
P.O.Box 247
Houghton,NY 14744
Tel. 716-365-2158