Celtic Ogham writing in the Southwestern US

Perhaps you have seen the Ogham (or Oggam) alphabet? Supposedly it was designed for messages written on a notched stick. Like this from Ancient Origins:

So, as far as I can tell, this writing system is common in the Southwest, because I keep seeing examples of it in videos. Like this one from "Trek Planner", who goes out in the desert near the 4-corners area and makes Go-Pro videos as he hikes and explores. Here is an example:

Now, I don't know how to read this, nor pretend that this form of the writing is identical to any I can find in Google image searches. But for my money, this is Ogham in Utah. I guess this makes me a UFO-ologist or a SASQUATCH-ologist. 

When things are said to have originated in Europe and only arisen in the US because of pre-historic voyaging, I routinely wonder if the flow might have been in the other direction: from the US to Europe. In this case, you wonder if anyone studies the history of Ogham, its variations and evolutions. Such a person might be asked to look at the above.

For reference, here is one version of the alphabet:

The "Fresh Water Fishing Place" (Woodbury CT)

 With a great deal of sadness, I have to report that the Diagonal Stone Fish Weir by the site of the Nonnewaug Wigwams is now very much gone.

 Almost all of the remnants of the weir were destroyed by a 2024 flood on the 69th anniversary of the Great Flood of August 18-19 in 1955: https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-one-in-thousand-flood-nonnewaugct.html

See also: 

https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/2024/10/last-of-stone-fish-weir-at-nonnewaug.html

https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/2024/10/more-of-final-days-of-nonnewaug-fish.html

The Friends of Pine 2024 Fall Program is well underway with more to come.

The Friends of Pine 2024 Fall Program is well underway with more to come.

But first, a reminder that tonight, Friday, October 18, the Littleton Lyceum is presenting :

Littleton’s Hidden Sacred-Shamanic Landscape: Sacred Stones, Vision Quest, and the Nashobah Praying Indians with Sagamore of the Nashobah Praying Indians, Strong Bear Medicine, and Littleton historian Daniel V. Boudillion at 7:30 PM.

 

Upcoming Pine Hawk Programs

Full descriptions of these programs are on our website https://www.pinehawk.org/2024-fall-programs/.

All Pine Hawk events are free but require registration at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024.

Burying the Trowel: A History of Controversy and Innovation in New England’s Cultural Stone Features Debate 

Tuesday, October 22, 7-8:30 PM in person at the Acton Memorial Library and via Zoom

Cultural anthropologist Kitty O’Riordan will make sense of contributions, clashes, and collaborations between avocational researchers and professional archaeologists in pursuit of understanding the unusual stone features that dot the woodlands and hillsides of New England.

 

Changes in the Land Book Discussion 

Tuesday, October 29, 7-8:30 PM in person at the Acton Memorial Library

All are invited to this in-person group discussion of William Cronon’s landmark environmental history of pre- and post-contact New England.

 

Community Service Day

Sunday, November 10, 1-3 PM in person

Assist with trail and site maintenance on the Nashoba Brook Conservation Land’s Trail Through Time, a multicultural heritage trail in North Acton. There will be an optional brunch beforehand at 11:30 am. Limited to 25, ages 13 and up. Details will be emailed to registrants a few days in advance.

 

Adult Archaeology Walk

Saturday, November 9, 10AM–noon, in person only. (Note new date)

Ian Bergmann, Land Stewardship Coordinator for the Town of Acton, will lead this hike along the Nashoba Brook Trail, with stops at the stone chamber and Native American ceremonial sites. Trail conditions can be rocky, uneven, and often wet, and thus participation is limited. Registrants will receive a detailed email several days before the walk. Limited to 20, ages 17 and up. (Previously scheduled for Oct. 19.)

 

A Day in the Life of a Local Archaeologist

Wednesday, November 20, 7 PM, in person at the Acton Memorial Library and via Zoom

Westford archaeologist David Gutbrod will share experiences and discoveries encountered in his professional life, from remote sensing projects in the South to an extensive report on a significant site in North Acton.

 

Native Americans and the Revolution: The Times are Exceedingly Altered

Thursday, December 5, 7 pm, at Acton Town Hall and via Zoom

Historian Daniel Mandell, author of Tribe, Race, History: Native Americans in Southern New England, 1780-1880, will present how the thousands of Native people in southern New England were involved in and impacted by the Revolution, and how they sought to secure their rights in different ways. Cosponsored with Acton 250.

 

For full descriptions of these free programs and to register, visit the Pine Hawk website at https://www.pinehawk.org/

The Friends of Pine Hawk 2024 Programs are presented with support from Acton Memorial Library and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.  

Jennison Rd - Shutesbury

[Reader Nicholas writes:]

I travel all over New England for work, and try to make it a point to have my rest-stops be in the area of some known stone site, chamber, local legend.

I made a stop last time in Shutesbury to visit the splendid Monk’s Chamber. Always happy to spend some time in there!

I left the chamber and began my ride on Jennison road, heading into Wendell. I was taking it slow and was able to spot a curious arrangement of stone about 30 ft off of the dirt road. A large farm was down the road a bit, but otherwise a sleepy and forgotten pasture was the only neighbor.

There were quite a few arrangements in fact, some bearing striking resemblance to other sites I have been to. It being so close to the Monk and Ames chambers, I figured it worth documenting a bit!

Happy Wanderings!
-Nicholas

Goat Hill - Uxbridge, MA

Reader Stacey writes:

I came across your blog when trying to find info about the stone structures that I’ve seen on Goat Hill in Uxbridge. I go hiking in this area often and nearly every time I see something I hadn’t noticed before. Here is a link with just some of the photos I’ve taken recently:  

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-1OMeuR7xAZqTVEu5mxr8Bysdv8eIAAP

Some info about the area: the hill overlooks the Blackstone River with Wolf Hill and Lookout Rock to the northeast on the other side of the river. Lookout Rock is said to have been used by Native Americans to oversee the valley. Goat Hill is deposited with huge glacial erratics and a ton of quartz. The eastern slope of the hill was utilized for the Blackstone Canal and towpath, but I don’t think the features on the upper terraces and the western/southern slopes are as modern as the canal. All throughout the area are old stonewalls (that look to vary in age and construction), cairns, rock piles, split boulders, rock shelters, manitou stones, and effigies. Many of these features seem to be “connected”, either in close proximity to one another or physically connected by stone walls.

The photos are really just a tiny portion of what’s there and I’m surprised I can’t find much online about it. If you haven’t explored this area, I think you would find it really interesting and would love to hear what you think. I think the photos have the location info attached, but I also have a map in CalTopo that I’ve marked the locations of some of the features. 

Pine Hawk: "New England Archaeological Discoveries" & more

Wed. Oct 9    "Archaeological Discoveries in New England"

Tues. Oct 15  "Ancient Winters at the Flagg Swamp Rockshelter"

Sat.  Oct 18    Adult Archaeology Walk  

Presented with support from Acton Memorial Library and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, events are free but require registration at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024

 

Sacred Stones, Vision Quest, and the Nashobah Praying Indians

 [From Dan Boudillion]

Sacred Stones, Vision Quest, and the Nashobah Praying Indians

 

 

Dear Friends of the Nashobah Praying Indians!

 

Strong Bear Medicine and the Prayers in Stone Project Ceremonial Stone Landscape team will be presenting at the Littleton Lyceum on Friday, October 18, 2024 at 7:30 pm.  The venue is the Littleton High School Auditorium located at 56 King Street, Littleton, MA.

 

You will need to buy tickets for this event and can do so online:

https://www.littletonlyceum.org/  

 

Here is the full description of the presentation:

 

Littleton’s Hidden Sacred-Shamanic Landscape:

Sacred Stones, Vision Quest, and the Nashobah Praying Indians

 

Presented by the Prayers in Stone Project founders and Littleton residents: Sagamore Strong Bear Medicine & Historian Daniel V. Boudillion. 

 

Littleton is sacred ground.  We walk and live amongst a Native-made Spirit-dwelling landscape, a shamanic-world hidden just out of sight, set aside in 1654 by the Nashobah Praying Indians to preserve this sacred place.  Journey with us as we explore a world of ceremonial stone constructions, from antiquity to modern times, hidden all around us: prayers to Creator built of stone, spirit summoning enclosures, vision seats, spirit portals, manitou stones, solstice sunrise welcoming sites, sacred turtle effigies, serpent rows, and earthen dance-rings to name a few.  Tread softly here, this landscape lives, and is a place of communion between the Great Spirit and the human spirit. 

Strong Bear Medicine is the Sagamore of the Nashobah Praying Indians and spiritual custodian of these ancient sacred sites.  Daniel V. Boudillion is a Littleton historian, author, and sacred sites visionary. 

 

Link to Littleton Lyceum ticket sales:

https://www.littletonlyceum.org/  

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you all, presenting new information about our Native sacred landscape, and introducing the Prayers in Stone Project team!