Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Looking towards the Wachusett Reservoir from a High Hill in Berlin, MA

I started up a steep little hill, legs aching, and thought I should get over to the western side of the summit where there was a nice view. That is where the rock piles were, including several rectangular and level "platforms" facing outward and a curious little curved row of rocks piles leading up to a boulder. The piles were all almost completely buried.

Here is a view of near the top of the hill, looking northwest. The site is down to the left among the boulders:
This was the first pile I saw, it is facing to the left in the picture:
Here is the view outward from behing the pile:
There was another large rectangular pile or two next to this one and some low piles leading across the hill up to one boulder. I am not sure what was there under the dead leaves and I am sorry there is not much to see in the photo:
Here is that first boulder:
Slightly lower on the hill was another collection of rock piles, which I realized lay in a curve also leading across the hill to a different boulder. Here is the layout, with yellow outlines where the piles are:
Here is the boulder they seem to lead towards (to the right in the above picture):
Here are some closeups of not much:
Just not much of a pile to look at. But the site overall has distinct characteristics: the medium sized piles, the use of smaller cobbles, the construction directly on the ground, the dramatic western view from a hilltop, the interesting layout and relationship with cracked boulders. We do not have rock piles or sites like this in my closer-to-home territory, further east.

Across the hill there were a few other things to see. Yet another split boulder we have already looked at:
Here the view is more towards the southwest, over the water. A hint of a path comes up from below, passing to the right of the boulder.

1 comment :

archaeologist said...

Peter;
I have seen this area a number of years ago, an old friendlived close by and we took hikes in the area, around the water, while I was in graduate school. I will be in that area soon and will re-visit the site. Thanks for the link.
Doc.