Large Rock Pile - Mason NH

Reader and neighbor Carol M writes:

This is a large rock pile in the back of George XXXs home. It roughly is about 20 x25 feet. One end is well built, and contiguous with a wall.There is also a wall traveling from the pile towards a swamp where is ends. There appears to be two hollows in the rock piles, and several areas where there is white quartz embedded.In the area are many walls, with Indian like features, for example the long slab with several smaller rocks lined up on it, and rock slabs at 45 degree angles with lacy holes throughout the walls. I'm sure George would be happy to show it to you if you are interested!

Stone Chamber - Concord MA

Reader and neighbor Carol M writes about a chamber that was first described by Mark Strohmeyer (see also here):

I came across this chamber to the north of the spring that runs through yellow birch swamp (aptly named). It was on a hill east of the spring, towards Black Birch Hill (aka Hubbard's Hill - also aptly named. If you lie down inside the chamber, it quite nicely accomodates a body, and there are two pieces of quartz embedded in the walls on each side of your shoulders. Two sides of the chamber are well built and even. There is a wall running on either side of the chamber, however, it did not appear to my amateur eye that the rocks were used for the chamber. Very interesting piece of work!

Some low ground piles from Montville CT

Ted Hendrickson writes:

In regards to you "Graveyard" post, last fall I bumped into a large group of nondescript piles grouped together in Montville, CT. I did not count them at the time, very difficult to see under heavy leaf litter and I did not want to disturb anything. There had to be more than 30. Perhaps it would be interesting to check for light colored rocks? I know in the same general area I have seen piles on boulders with pieces of quartz displayed on them. Here are a few photos:

Double Chambered Mound

Very similar to a rock pile with a tail, here are three views of one from the NEARA fieldtrip. I call this is an early example of the "Wachusett Tradition". These piles, for me, are usually the most broken down. It is true at this site (which had a mixture of styles) and in general.

Just downhill from the end of Fieldstone Ln - Stow MA: The meaning of split wedged rocks

You could see a split-wedged rock from the road and there was a conservation land parking where I hid my car so I could sneak back across to the other side of the road, so I could go down into the wet "break out" and check it out. First I saw a rock pile:
Then got a look at the split-wedged rock I had seen from the road:[It is worth clicking on the picture.] I think this helps settle a question about the meaning of split-wedged rocks. This is not an offering or a donation because it is so obvious that the wedges are shims that hold the upper rock in a specific position. Perhaps the main rock was deliberately split? It implies a meaning to these things that is different from the idea of propitiating a spirit that lives in the rock. A split wedged rock like this is something else.

Right nearby, another split-wedged rock:Again the rock seems deliberately split but this time with a suggestive quartz vein.

I notice that the first split wedged rock above also has a thin quartz vein parallel to the split. So maybe this all is more like: unleashing the power of the quartz?

Quartz arrowhead fragments from SE Massachusetts

Chris Pittman writes:
I spent most of the day Saturday in farm fields and couldn't even guess how much walking I did. The conditions were terrible in most places with a lot of weeds on the ground but it was nice to be outside. I have attached a picture of the fragments I brought home, two broken triangular points and a "small stemmed" base, all from quartz. I do take pleasure in finding even these broken pieces. I brought a friend with me and he found a broken quartz tip of a narrow point, his first artifact find. Have you had any opportunity to go out and look lately? I am hoping some of these fields might be plowed again before the winter.

Indian Graveyards - Concord, MA

There are three similar sites in Concord that I think of as "graveyards". Of course I have no idea if that is correct, if anything is to be found under the piles. So what I mean is: rock piles sites with 12 or so low-to-the-ground circular rock piles, each having a bit of white rock. Here are two of the larger such sites I found in Concord.

First site
This one is somewhere in Estabrook Woods. I have shown it to the most knowledgeable Estabrook experts and they did not know about it. I think Thoreau missed it. On approach:
See that pile on a rock in the rear? It is not a ground pile and not, I think, a grave. Here is a closeup from one side:The pointed rock in the middle, facing you, is symmetrically placed. FFC thinks that pointed rock is the head of a crow effigy.

Here is one of the "graves", completely non-descript but, believe it or not, most of these piles incorporate a white rock:The site is in a space between a triangle of stone walls. The crow at one corner, a completely damaged pile supported on a rock at another, and a collection four turtle-like piles in the last corner. So, here are all four "turtles":Note the pointed rock on the right, which I think is the turtle's head. From the same angle, another one:From the same angle, another one:From the same angle, a last one, more than a bit damaged, and pretty inconclusive:So the "graves" are found within the triangle, between these effigies (crows and turtles) at the corners. I have written about this before (here). The examples of white rock are not particularly spectacular.

Second Site:
If there were effigies here, I did not see them. I'll show some examples of piles with a white rock:
Many of the piles included bits of burnt rock as well as white rock. Spot the white rock, spot the burnt rock. Here is another:
Another:Closer:Another:Closer:Another:Closer:Burnt and white. See the pattern?

Some other noteworthy features at this site include a boulder with a chain of connected rocks, perhaps a "seat".And at least one pile incorporating a curious single rock that might have been specifically selected for.
Strange pits and holes in that one rock:Whether these sites are graveyards, I do not know. We have all heard there were Indian Graveyards. Thoreau wrote about their existence. But is there a description anywhere? Whatever the case, these types of sites have an identifiable character, with the white rocks and the burnt rocks and the curious rocks incorporated into the piles.

I want to mention explicitly that the piles at these sites are not evenly spaced and are not in lines. This is not a "marker pile" site although sometimes it seems that that is all there is out there.

Bushy Ridge Cairns - Putnam County NY

Rob Buchanan writes:

Below are some pictures and words from my last Sunday's adventure.

Bushy Ridge in Putnam County NY is a part of a large hill that divides the headwaters of Canopus Creek and Wiccoppee Brook. The ridge itself runs in a NE -SW direction from the main part of the hill. The lower part of the ridge is virtually littered with rock piles and cairns. Here are some that I found last weekend.

Before I reached the ridge itself I can across what looks like a U-shaped structure and a curious rock pile which I think might be of recent construction.

Many of the cairns and rock piles are marked on the orienteering map of the area. I was aiming to find three cairns situated high on the eastern slope of the ridge.

I found the cairns and was impressed with their size and structure. There was also a nice rock-on-rock feature nearby.

There are still many more stone structures to explore and document. I'll send some images the next time I'm up on the ridge.

Please let me know if you have any questions.