NEARA field trip to Peppercorn Hill - Oct 24

Peppercorn Hill was once marked as an "Indian Establishment" on a map from the 1800's. There are many stone groupings and other features to explore in the landscape. The walk will be led by Cathy Taylor, an Upton resident, who for over 25 years has been studying ceremonial earth and stone sites identified by Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. This will be a 2-hour, level walking hike. Please wear suitable clothing. The walk is free, but pre-registration is required. Details will be emailed to registrants a few days in advance. Limited to 15, all ages welcome with adult supervision. (Details for email: Peppercorn Hill, Taft St. open space parking lot.  (around 97 Taft St.)

Saturday, October 24, 10 AM – Noon, Upton, Massachusetts walk, in person only

Delisting the Bears Ear National Monument in Utah

An important story for lovers of the desert southwest: The REAL Reason Trump Is Gutting National Monuments in Utah

Notice the drill holes in this screengrab? [right click and open in separate tab to enlarge]

Now THAT is an arrowhead

Ground slate spearpoint from a melting Norwegian Glacier:

In an Exciting but ‘Brutal’ Find, a 5,000-Year-Old Arrow Emerges From Norway’s Rapidly Melting Mountain Ice

2026 Friends of Pine Hawk Fall Program begins Oct. 15

 

Every year the Friends of Pine Hawk hosts a Fall Program of walks, talks and community events during October (Massachusetts Archaeology Month) and November (National Native American Heritage Month).  

The full program and descriptions of this year's terrific lineup are on our website, and a printable copy of the program descriptions is here. 

All the programs are free but require registration. 

Please email questions to friends.of.pinehawk@gmail.com.

The Friends of Pine Hawk 2026 Programs are presented with support from Acton Memorial Library and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

NEARA Conference

You're invited to the upcoming NEARA conference in North Kingston, RI, with a suggested lunch on Saturday, and a biennial ESRARA conference in Ohio, with a new communications app for the MA Chapter.

Note

• Attend the ESRARA biennial conference in Ohio.
• Consider attending the NEARA conference in North Kingston, RI.
• Explore and share ideas/plans for the fall chapter field trip.
• See: https://neara.org/conferences/2026-11-13.html

Chocolate in Ohio again shows idea of "Mayans in Georgia" not so ridiculous

See here: Ancient DNA reveals cacao was consumed in present-day Georgia 1,000 years ago

[Note: the article is about the Etowah Mounds in Ohio. Not clear why the title says "Georgia".]

For reference, Trap Rock Gap researcher Thornton was being attacked for this proposal. See here for previous discussion: Rock Piles: Search results for Mayans

Came across some rock piles

It has been a while. 

Video coming up...

Here it is: Obscure Burial Mounds - Mansfield MA

As soon as I stepped into the woods I got a sense there were probably rock piles all over. But I was there to check on some openings - that looked plowed from the Google aerial views. Returning, disappointed to not be able to hunt for arrowheads, I did see some rock piles next to the trail.

Quartz Arrowhead from Marshfield - Naah! That's not a Clovis

 

Interesting scenery, arrowheads not so much

Interesting scenery, arrowheads not so much

A basalt [or actually black rhyolite] arrowhead missing its tip, from the Fairhaven side of New Bedford harbor. Video above.

Come to think of it, this proves the spot is worth exploring more carefully. Finding a place with arrowheads is harder, and more valuable, than finding individual arrowheads.

Update: I was excited to find this arrowhead. When I cleaned it up, it turned out to be nice flaking PLUS it was a new site PLUS it was a new material. So I went back a couple days later and examined that beach pretty carefully. Not a single thing was found - nothing. So why return after this? In fact this single, solitary, fragment of an arrowhead is all we are going to get from this place, short of some extensive digging. So that's it: we are never going to learn anything about who and when this arrowhead was made. A whole story, hinted at but lost. It is sad.