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(Story updated to include the demolishing of the remaining monument.)

ELBERTON, Georgia (KFOR/Storyful) – An investigation is underway after an early morning July 6th explosion partially demolished the Georgia Guidestones monument in Elberton. The mysterious monument has been the subject of conspiracy theories, and a gubernatorial candidate vowed to destroy the Guidestones, if elected.

For safety reasons, officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation say the damaged monument had to be completely demolished.

According to a Georgia tourism website, “Known as America’s Stonehenge, this 19-foot high monument displays a 10-part message espousing the conservation of mankind and future generations in 12 languages. The Guidestones also serve as an astronomical calendar, and every day at noon the sun shines through a narrow hole in the structure and illuminates the day’s date on an engraving. The names of four ancient languages are inscribed on the sides near the top: Babylonian cuneiform, Classical Greek, Sanskrit, and Egyptian Hieroglyphics. The Guidestones are mysterious in origin, for no one knows the identity of a group of sponsors who provided its specifications.”

File photo of undamaged Guidestones monument. Photo from Wikipedia Commons.

Translated into English, the Guidestones are believed to read: “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature; Guide reproduction wisely, improving fitness and diversity; Unite humanity with a living new language; Rule passion, faith, tradition, and all things with tempered reason; Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts; Let all nations rule internally, resolving external disputes in a world court; Avoid petty laws and useless officials; Balance personal rights with social duties; Prize truth, beauty, love … seeking harmony with the infinite; Be not a cancer on earth — leave room for nature — leave room for nature.”

The Guidestones were erected in 1980 by an anonymous “small group of loyal Americans who believe in God,” led by a man who chose the alias Robert Christian for his Christian beliefs. However, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor (R), who was defeated in the Republican primary on May 24th, called the monument “satanic.”

You can see a video she tweeted here, calling the Guidestones “a war between good and evil.” In the same tweet, posted before her defeat, she wrote, “I am the ONLY candidate bold enough to stand up to the Luciferian Cabal. Elect me Governor of Georgia, and I will bring the Satanic Regime to its knees— and DEMOLISH the Georgia Guidestones.”

After the vandalism, Taylor also tweeted, “God is God all by Himself. He can do ANYTHING He wants to do. That includes striking down Satanic Guidestones.”

An investigation of the explosion is underway.