At the time of the finding, the ancient civilizations were known to believe meteorites were gifts, and sometimes curses, from the gods/God. Below is a quote from this site: http://www.crystalinks.com/blackstone.html . It seems to be unbiased for at least the most part, and is very informative about the stone from various points of view.
Until now, I have never researched the Ka'bah. I never really cared to due to my feelings about the bastardization of the ancient pre-Mohammad culture. I love to learn, though, as ignorance for any reason keeps us from truth in any manner.
For example, people who outright hate Islam and claim "the only thing they need to know about Islam is what they learned on 9/11" are rather foolish. The greatest generals in the world throughout history understand and have understood that to truly know the enemy, and the ally, is the only sure way of becoming the victor. I suppose it would be too much to ask such people to read books like The Art of War, Thirty-Six Stratagems, The Book of Five Rings, The Green Berets, or The Hunt for Bin Laden: Task Force Dagger.
A typical fear in getting to know one's enemy is that our anger or hatred or simple caution could be diluted by making the object of our contempt into a human being similar to ourselves. Learning to understand them as a human with faults often makes us look into a mirror, and it becomes difficult to push onward with our loathing when the hypocrisy is so bitter on our tongue. For such people, separating emotion from logic and reason is an impossible task, so they choose to remain ignorant and risk becoming that which they are fighting. One can see a person for being "merely human" but still understand the importance of stopping them from their crimes. A lot of people have a problem with this today, as displayed by public intrigue and support of serial killers, rapists, drug dealers, and child abusers.
It's funny because although I don't believe we are alone in the universe, I hold onto logic and reason in an effort to not become a tool for the cause, or any cause. It was in watching Ancient Aliens with one foot firmly planted in skepticism that I came to know of this black stone of the Ka'bah, which led me to research Mecca and the Ka'bah, which has led me, in turn, to better know the ancient culture of pre-Mohammad times.
I have always known Mohammad was a cultist, like David Koresh, and have spoken up for the faith that pre-dated his hijacking of it. In learning more of the culture I grew to despise and believe has completely disposed of the more rationale ancient ways, I discovered some of the most cherished remnants are still very much alive today. Such new-found knowledge gives me hope I had none of that this culture has a chance to save itself and redeem itself if they can ever turn their backs on their child raping, woman fearing, parent killing cult leader.
And so the black stone, which is probably nothing more than a meteorite and further justifies the ancient alien theories or at the very least, shows Islam as a religion based upon the worship of aliens and space, fascinates me to the point it is an obsession for me like all other mysteries in the world that no one over thousands of years has been able to solve.
Perhaps one day, someone will set fire to the silk or find a way to cut the bindings on the roof holding it, and all who bare witness will awaken to a knew enlightenment that doesn't involve killing your neighbor for their faith or stoning to death your daughter for being raped.
Partial quote from crystal links:
There are various opinions as to what the Black Stone actually is. Muslims say that the Stone was found by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismail) when they were searching for stones with which to build the Kaaba. They recognized its worth and made it one of the building's cornerstones.
Secular historians point to the history of stone worship, and especially meteorite worship, in pre-Islamic Arabia, and say that it is likely that the Stone is a meteorite. There is no way to test this hypothesis without removing and examining the Stone, which would not be permitted by its guardians.
There is no indication as to where this stone originated, but since it pre-dates the revelation of the Holy Qur'an and Muhammad's prophethood, and even kissed, it must stem from the time of Abraham since the Hajj traditions are traceable to the patriarch of monotheism.
The Ka'bah at Mecca describes the shape of the black stone structure on a marble base which stands in the centre court of the Great Mosque, Masjidul Haram, at the centre of Mecca. It stands about 50 feet high by about 35 feet wide. Set into the eastern corner is the sacred stone. This Ka'ba is a cubed shaped temple rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Reverently draped in black cloth throughout the year, it beckons to every Muslim of the world to come to its sacred ground.
The Ka'ba - Kaaba - is the canonical center of the Islamic world and every pious act, particularly prayer, is directed toward it. Once a year it plays host to the greatest convention of religious believers and stands ready to sanctify the Umrah traveler through the balance of the year.
The official starting point of the walk around the Kaaba, that forms the core of the holy pilgrimage, is called the hajj. During the Tawaf pilgrims kiss or touch the black stone as they circumambulate the Ka'ba.
Some Muslims are more willing to believe that the Stone itself has some supernatural powers. They believe that this stone fell from the sky during the time of Adam and Eve, and that it has the power to cleanse worshippers of their sins by absorbing them into itself. They say that the Black Stone was once a pure and dazzling white and it has turned black because of the sins it has absorbed over the years.
It is remarkable, however, that even though the temple contained 360 idols worshipped before Muhammad's Prophethood, the black stone was never kissed or made an idol of worship. In fact, the Ka'ba was never worshipped by the idolaters prior to Muhammad's Prophethood. The building contained idols of worship but the building itself was never an object of worship.
The fact that the Ka'ba was rebuilt by Abraham is a historical fact. Since the stone has been there ever since, it stands to reason that Abraham placed the stone in the Ka'ba. The Black Stone is in fact the cornerstone of the Ka'ba and is there as an emblem of the progeny of Abraham which was rejected by the Israelites and became the corner stone of the Kingdom of God.
The Psalms contains a clear reference to it:
The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner. Ishmael was looked on as being rejected by God, or so the Israelites believed. Yet it was a progeny of Ishmael that the Last Prophet, the 'head-stone of the corner' was to arise.
While David referred to it as the stone which the builders refused, Jesus spoke of it more plainly in the parable of the husbandman, telling the Israelites that the vineyard, which in the parable stands for the Kingdom of God, would be taken away from them and given to other husbandmen.
That by the rejected stone in the prophecy (21:42) was meant a rejected nation (21:43) is made clear by Jesus Christ. That this rejected nation was none other than the Ishmaelites has been borne out by history.
The Black Stone, therefore, passes for the mithaq, the primordial covenant between the Creator and His created. And in the whole world there is only this unhewn stone, the stone, Cut out of the mountains without hands (Daniel 2:45), and that is the corner-stone of a building, which in point of importance, stands unique in the world.
Touching or kissing the stone has a profound impact on the faithful as it is suppose to count in their favor on judgment day. [Judgment Day is a metaphor for the return to balance with the duality of our reality - at Zero Point.]
The great Muslim traveler from Valencia, Ibn Jubayr (1145-1217) describes the emotion he felt on touching the stone, The stone, when one kisses it, has a softness and freshness which delights the mouth; so much so that he who places his lips upon it wishes never to remove them. It suffices, moreover, that the Prophet said that it is the Right Hand of God on Earth.
The single most important reason for kissing the stone is that Prophet Muhammad did so. No devotional significance whatsoever is attached to the stone. Kissing or touching the Black Stone is a reverential act of acknowledgment that God's hand directed its placement and construction. That Abraham and Muhammad, God's blessing upon them, had touched and kissed the stone and an acknowledgment that God had entrusted the 'corner stone' of His religious central focus for man upon that hollowed and sacred place.
Researchers have noted that the Ka'bah is accurately aligned on two heavenly phenomena - the cycles of the moon and the rising of Canopus, the brightest star after Sirius.
There are various other opinions as to what the Black Stone actually symbolizes. Many Muslims regard the Stone as 'just a stone'. When Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph, came to kiss the stone, he said, in front of all assembled: "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger kissing you, I would not have kissed you." They pay their respects to the Black Stone in a spirit of trust in Muhammad, not with any belief in the Black Stone itself.
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