I mentioned before that there are piles of quartz stones in a wood near town. Here is a picture of one. This is the largest and furthest from the fields. It is also just across a stream from a place where larger stones have been arranged in a small deliberate formation. However, I would not guess that this is a ceremonial pile. Too many other kinds of activity take place here.It is right alongside a stream within 20 yards of the first spring and much closer to the place where the spring arises during dry times. There are ten springs less than a quarter mile away, as this glen seems to be the outlet for groundwater from the surrounding hills. The hills are littered with quartz stones from some natural formation, so none of the stones here would have been carried from far away.
There are approximately 75 rockpiles near White Cliff on Starr Mountain in McMinn County, TN. Also found some at the bottom of the mountain, but they have been destroyed by bulldozers clearing the land. There are some just like the stone piles in Athens, TN, which is also in McMinn County. The ones on Starr Mountain go from very simple piles to elegant piles. Some have very large trees growing out of them so they are very very old.
ReplyDeleteCan get photos should you desire.