While researching imagery in the Library Of Congress archives, I found an anomalous object in a MASONIC lithograph created in 1866 depicting George Washington. When I analyzed the image of the lithograph, I was struck not by the Masonic symbols, but rather by the curious object in the left inner arch that is different than typical Masonic iconography.

I will let the image speak for itself... as you will need to discern what it is you are looking at, and what the implications might be.

Here is a closer look. I also noticed the ladder reaching to and from the object in question. In Masonic imagery this represents Jacob's Ladder, which biblically was from which "angels ascend and descended from earth to heaven". More specifically in Masonry the ladder represents three steps... Faith, Hope and Charity; the three theological virtues. But this is besides the point as my interest is with the unidentified object from which the ladder descends.

An even closer look clearly shows the multicolor lights shooting out of the bottom with a line of lights through the center.

Finally here is a higher contrast version of the previous image to make the object and the intension of the artist even more distinct.  Remember... this was created in 1866.

The source of the image can be verified through the Library Of Congress by going to http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pga.02796

TITLE: Washington as a Freemason / Strobridge & Gerlach lithographers, Pike's Opera House, Cincinnati, O.

CREATED/PUBLISHED: c1866. Copyright by Strobridge & Gerlach.

REPOSITORY: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

CONTROL #: 96518222