This is from the Woonsockett "Call" [Click here] Thanks to Heidi and Keith for the link.
I have spoken with a few other experts in the subject of rock piles, people who have read most of what has been written on the subject and who have spent years in the field studying rock piles. The consensus is that there is no reason to think the piles in North Smithfield are burial mounds. On a personal note, I think it is irresponsible for non-Natives to be talking about burials. Most rock pile sites are not related to burials and painting with such a broad a brush threatens rock piles in general.
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Certainly the danger of publicizing cairn sites as burial sites invites the pot-hunter community -- fairly dormant in New England for many years now -- to renew their selfish interests. The destruction they could cause would be a monumental tragedy.
My own research has uncovered a multitude of purposes for rock pile sites -- burials being among the most rare indeed. While it's almost always desirable that a cairn site be saved from development, it shouldn't be done at the expense of all other such sites.
All of which may come around to bite me. Curtis Hoffman reports that Ted Ballard counted 23 piles and that supposedly 23 died an Nispachuck. I don't buy that yet but lets see what happens.
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