In April, I went with my wife on a driving expedition that took us to Woodbridge CT [numerous articles] and to Kings Chamber in Fahnenstock NY. A superb place.
This was part of a move to get off of Cape Cod and see a few things; which continued after we got back, with my driving over to Freetown during weekends and discovering a few rock pile sites over there. I did not find the places Mavor and Dix describe and, clearly, the town has more to be revealed. I took a few other hikes in parts of Rhode Island adjacent to MA.
In August I started looking for arrowheads again. This was a combination of some obscure finds from the harbor islands of Woods Hole; along with Chris Pittman showing me how to use aerial photos to spot likely farm fields. I have been driving back to the mainland ever since, to explore such places. Finally, in Raynham, I found my first "independent" arrowhead by that method. Your mind is challenged to find a worthwhile location, your eyes and patience are challenged to see what is there. The more willing you are to ask permission, the more places you have to look.
I have thoughts about the general philosophies of arrowhead hunting. Out West the ground is bare and the only problem is to choose a likely topography. Here in the East there are only a few spots of bare dirt left. The coastline is one dimensional and privately owned. Most of our creeks and rivers are completely silted-in and surrounded by muddy marshland. So it is hard to find anywhere worth looking for arrowheads here. I think the guys out west have it a lot easier. And don't get me started on the lack of knap-able materials, available in the glacial gravels down here.
Finally, in the last few days I spotted what looks like a large pyramid shaped mound in the southeastern AZ desert. This just makes me want to go drive around the west more and more.
No comments :
Post a Comment