what does "a.l." in front of a date mean?

[Arnold_Winkelried]

At the University of Nevada Las Vegas student union building, I saw the following chiselled in a stone on the front of the building:

A.D. 1968
A.L. 5968

What does the second line mean? At first I thought it might be another calendar, but what calendar would be 4000 years off from the usual calendar? Unless someone is counting from the “creation” of the world in Genesis and assuming 4000 B.C. (though I thought the usual number was 4004 B.C.)

[Gregor_Samsa]

Anno lumina (year of light.) It’s the Illuminati dating system, and is based on the birth of the Chinese philosopher Hung Mung.

http://people.we.mediaone.net/kelsung/other/calendar/RAW.htm

[Arnold_Winkelried]

OK, I’ve read part of the information at that link, and have come to the conclusion that the author is kidding. Isn’t he?

[Gregor_Samsa]

Arnold Winkelried: You could be right. I don’t recall hearing of Chinese philosopher Hung Mung, but I’ve also never studied Chinese philosophy.

How about Anno Lucis?

http://www.freemasonry.bc.ca/Writings/annolucis.html

[capybara]

Looks like anno lumina and anno lucis are synoymous-- I’d guess that the builders at UNLV were more likely influenced by the Freemasons than by the, ahem, Illuminati books. The Bishop Ussher thing is interesting-- I didn’t realize anyone had EVER taken him seriously, but hey.

[peace]

Were the dots/periods chiseled too? I bet it has nothing to do with the calendar, perhaps, with the alumni who donated/contributed to the building. The original construction drawings must be still somewhere, dig.

[Arnold_Winkelried]

I think Anno Lucis sounds like it’s the answer. I can’t remember for sure if the dots were chiselled in the stone, but I think they were. It is surprising to me though that in 1968 a masonic date would be put on a public building.

[john_paul]

I doubt the Al has anything to do with the mythical illuminati since it is used on Coptic Church cornerstones.

[Canadjun]

Is 11 1/2 years a record for reincarnation of a zombie?

[thelurkinghorror]

@Canadjun

Is 11 1/2 years a record for reincarnation of a zombie?

I’ve seen 1999, and I think the upper limit is somewhere around there as dates before that are lost. For once the OP is actually still around to get a reply

Stone buildings are partially/traditionally built by (stone)masons. Although it is unlikely that there is a huge overlap between professional masons and Masonic members, there are still enough similarities that the might want to use the dates. I’ve seen it on other buildings before, the locations escape me.

Or it’s because of the Illuminati. These guys are so insidious that they put the signs of their control in plain sight.

[John_Mace]

It’s worth it just to see the reference to “Hung Mung”.

But heck, 11 1/2 years is only like a month in the lumina calendar!

[chorpler]

I see this on all the older buildings at UNLV, including the one I work in every day (the biology building). I always figured it was some kind of Masonic thing. Interesting. Thanks for asking the question 11 years ago, Arnold Winkelried!

[Chessic_Sense]

@thelurkinghorror

I’ve seen 1999

Yes, but how long ago? Every day that passes is one more day that the ceiling is raised.

[aldiboronti]

Acronym Finder states that it stands for Anno Inventionis - in the Year of Discovery.

Haven’t a clue what that signifies though.

[galen_ubal]

@aldiboronti

Acronym Finder states that it stands for Anno Inventionis - in the Year of Discovery.

Haven’t a clue what that signifies though.

It’s actually A.L. in the OP - but both are answered on this page.

Anno Lucis is the “Year of Light.”
Craft Masonry’s calendar commences with the creation of the world and uses the term Anno Lucis (A.L.) - “In the year of Light.” To arrive at this date they add 4000 to the common time, as the Earth was believed in conventional theology to have began in 4000 BC .

Anno Inventionis is the “Year of Discovery”, or the building of the 2nd Temple.
Royal Arch Masons date time from the year the second temple was commended by Zerubbabel. Anno Inventionis (A.I.) ,which means “In the year of Discovery,” is the terminology used by Chapters. This adds 530 to the common time,

[Argent_Towers]

It is a Masonic convention; if the building was originally a Masonic lodge, or if it was originally dedicated to a Masonic lodge for some reason, that’s where the A.L. comes from. There may also be a square and compass design somewhere in the architecture of the building.

No, Masons do not all believe that the world is literally six thousand years old.

[yabob]

@Argent_Towers

It is a Masonic convention; if the building was originally a Masonic lodge, or if it was originally dedicated to a Masonic lodge for some reason, that’s where the A.L. comes from. There may also be a square and compass design somewhere in the architecture of the building.

No, Masons do not all believe that the world is literally six thousand years old.

Needn’t necessarily have been a Masonic Lodge or so dedicated. The Masons sometimes perform cornerstone laying ceremonies for churches, schools or public buildings if so requested. They consider it to be a public service, and it leads to a lot of random Masonic emblems on buildings.

http://www.templelodge14.org/ourlodge/localcornerstones.html
http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/cornerstone_laying.htm

For school buildings, public structures or places of worship, the presence of the name of the Grand Lodge and or Masonic emblem is at the option of the governing bodies. Should the use of the same be allowed, it is recommended that the name of the Grand Lodge and the date be inscribed.

I suppose the might still sneak in a date from the Masonic calendar anyway.

[Argent_Towers]

@yabob

The Masons sometimes perform cornerstone laying ceremonies for churches, schools or public buildings if so requested. They consider it to be a public service, and it leads to a lot of random Masonic emblems on buildings.

Yeah, that’s what I meant - not “dedicated TO” but dedicated BY. I don’t know if Masons still do this; I know at least that my lodge hasn’t done it recently. But it would be a good tradition to revive.

[yabob]

@Argent_Towers

Yeah, that’s what I meant - not “dedicated TO” but dedicated BY. I don’t know if Masons still do this; I know at least that my lodge hasn’t done it recently. But it would be a good tradition to revive.

That first link describes a couple dedications in Sonoma, CA, from 2002 and 2004. A middle school and a fire station.