I was at a curious site this weekend on a hill with a tall radio tower that you can see to the north as you drive on Rt 290 between Northborough and Boylston on the way to Worcester. I could not figure out if the site was ceremonial or random rock disposal; or when it had come about as a site. At first I walked up the gradual western slope below the radio tower and I saw what looked like loose dumped lines of rocks:
There was also what looked like a terrace or a road bed. Then, as I continued to try to dismiss the material I came to one rock pile that did look kind of deliberate. 
Notice the white item towards the center of the pile. Here is a detail: 
This is the neck portion of a porcelain vase with a raised pattern of blue on a white background. The word "Victorian" comes to mind but, of course, I have no idea when it was from or when it was used in a rock pile. It seems deliberate to me and, if it is, then the pile is at least as young as the pot. As I looked around for more piles, there were a few indistinct traces: 
And some other, quite distinctly well built piles, at least this one: 
And then another similar curved elongated rock pile, that looked like it might have somehow been dumped, like the piles I saw at first (left side of the first picture above). But this one looked slightly more compact and more like a pile: 
Still, I could not convince myself this was a ceremonial site. I started to think it was a mixture of different things. Then I came across the footings to the radio tower: 
And then the radio tower itself, towering so high over head I had to look straight up to see it. 
There was a good deal of soil disturbance and loose rocks on the surface along the sides of the path of the tower's cables. All of the loose rocks I had been seeing could be accounted for the result of the tower construction. But somehow I felt that the better piles I was seeing would have been older than the tower. Then I saw this pile with a recent (beer?) bottle inserted into it 
This was close the the path of the tower cables and I imagined a workman taking a picnic break here and, for some reason interacting with an existing rock pile. But then also the radio tower by itself makes this a special location. Was the tower here before the rock piles? Hard to say and all with that bit of broken vase. I try to put this all together but a simple answer eludes me.
Nice in the morning, under the laurels. I used my laurel dodging skill acquired in Leominster.
It is natural to wonder what this white quartzite in the piles is about. I do not think these are burials but what are they? It would be interesting to survey the site because I continue to think the role of this lighter rock might be part of connecting together the different piles. So it would be good to see them in overviedw.
Then I continued exploring north and west, now almost 1/4 mile from the original road and the edges of the site from that side. I came to a gradual slope that turned into a steeper slope and I was reluctant to go down there and loose the elevation. But I was rewarded quickly anyway with one last rock pile, sentinel on that side of things and still with the lighter colored rocks.
Faint traces of old cart tracks, which imagine being made by the charcoal cutters, criss-crossed the hill undefoot.
As we drove up the road after visiting the first site, we saw rock piles at four other places. After the first, we saw several piles from the road on a slope facing northwest and leading down into the ferns. 
(The same light colored quartzite is visible just left of center.)
Although it was a pretty spot in the woods, I wonder if this line of three structures might have marked an earlier path?
So there are lots of rock piles. One question is: are there more piles along the road than in the woods at random?
And here is a view of the "quartz" which actually turns out to be light cream-colored quartzite cobble - a very common type of rock in these woods and in this soil. 
(Note the light-colored rock at the center of the closest edge of the pile.)
Here is a closeup:
As I continued to explore the site, I kept seening more piles with noticeable cream-colored quartzite cobbles:
There were many low piles in the hay-scented ferns:
Most still exhibited the light colored cobble:
There were a surprising number of piles, big and small, hidden in there under the laurels. The owners of this land have no idea anything like this is here.
Why is this site here? It is on a steep slope next to the forest road, with a bit of a wet spot heading off southeast. I imagine this may be a spot with an interesting view over water in that southeasterly direction. The next day I went back and explored this site more carefully (this first time I had friends and family along who were not comfortable traipsing into the laurel). There is a gully which passes this high point as it turns to the southeast. There are rock piles along the southern side of the gully and occasional ones further back, continuing for 1/4 mile. The majority had a white or cream-colored blaze. Here is a view of the gully:
I have to wonder what does that white rock or rocks mean? These piles do not seem to be burials as many are built upon small boulders. Also the view to the southeast is suggestive of something else. (Actually the site spans a watershed divide so there are also views to the northwest. I saw more of that the second day.)
They were a bit confused.
I drove right up to them and to our surprise the chicks promptly took off to land in branches of nearby trees, while the remaining adult had the most trouble getting off of the ground.
I was sort of pushing the camera button while driving so it is lucky I got this picture.
