(From Alan P) I wrote to you a while back about the effort to protect the Archaic site in Northampton where the city and state intended to construct a roundabout and I want to thank you for taking up the issue with your readers. The project's now on hold as you know, hopefully permanently but we will see. Anyway I thought of you and your blog again recently when I noticed something interesting in this video (though perhaps you've already seen it?):
It shows horseshoe shaped stone constructions positively known to have been used as hunting blinds by caribou hunters in the Yukon up until recent times. To my eye they resemble similar structures found in the hills here in New England. Given that this land was also caribou country thousands of years ago, with the same landscape and ice features present, it may point to the function of at least some of those found here imo. They're briefly discussed starting about the 11 minute mark but I think you'll find the whole video fascinating, especially while keeping possible clues about post-glacial lifeways in our area in mind. Take care,
Marvelous video of the artifacts being uncovered by melting ice.
ReplyDeleteHere's another look at familiar stonework built to aid in hunting caribou. This is in Greenland. The rough, hilly landscape looks how I imagine the New England highlands might have back when it was covered by tundra. The pertinent part begins at about the 28 minute mark but, again, the whole presentation is fascinating: https://youtu.be/1NkhDElo81c?t=1674
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