Thursday, January 26, 2017

A fieldtrip north of Sandy Pond Lincoln

Gail Coolidge and Sydney Blackwell drew my attention to a part of the map I overlooked (having explored the area superficially, many years ago) and took me for a walk there. Sydney noticed a rock-on-rock in one place on a small knoll and later, when we went to take a closer look, you could already see something else behind it.
The first rock-on-rock is a familiar shape, like a boat rudder.
When I went to look at the 2nd feature, I could see a 3rd something beyond that.
Walking over to the third "something" it was a vertical fin of rock:
By this time a prospect opened up with several small features along the west side of the knoll. I didn't notice anything on the east side. This whole site is hidden on the back side of a knoll in the middle of a busy trail system.
Continuing, we see another rock-on-rock and something taller above it:
This looked suspiciously precarious but we got distracted. The picture shows the view to the south and Sandy Pond but we were going further north.
Where there was a larger rock in the bushes:
And a fair sized rock pile in the bushes, both on the north north west side of the knoll:
You don't find major new rock piles every day in Lincoln, MA
We discussed how this pile had nice vertical sides.
And lets not forget this strange bit of structure. It is not so interesting to look at but I will bet you it is the center of the site:
Then we had a closer look at the "suspiciously precarious" pile and decided the lichen growth was legit. Precarious or not, it is very well built.

 
This pile, nearly at the high point, would throw shadows -during the morning- over most of the features on the western and southern parts of the knoll, at one time or another during the year. Any shadows at the north end be following some other principle.

3 comments :

Unknown said...

Has anyone suggested these rock piles may be part of a ( shhhh ) Cahokia/mound builders/ancient people? Only curious, honest, and no expert- very interested amateur, Pennsylvania hiker, rock pile lover - found extensive petroglyphs on our rock piles like these. Our state isn't interested so it's ok, saying this, just a little baffling, no interest. Hate to come across as off-the-wall, maybe keep an eye open? A few of these seem effigy-ish ( it's a word.... ). Should be more incised marks,eyes, random decoration, not weathered away under all the moss.

Again, no professional here, no treasure hunter, either, just a genuine Pennsylvania woods and history lover. Love to see our mounds protected, if ever ' discovered '. Thanks for the sites. Your bobcats are a good deal heftier than ours!

pwax said...

Yes, the connection to the mound builders is assumed.

Jordan Kert said...

The suspiciously precarious pile is beautiful