Rock Piles and Effigies in the South Area

Two new rock piles today: Above: with effigy stone. The "eye" has been pecked out.
The effigy "faces" due north, towards what I've termed "the "main ceremonial" site. Below is a split stone filled with rocks, within visual distance of the above feature.  It is filled with stones, and one  Quartz rock.

Spring Water in Southern Section

This spring is covered by a large rock. 

Stepping Stones

A Stone which may have been used for grinding nuts (Chestnut, Hickory) which is located on the top of a knoll suggests there must have been a water source nearby.  A hollow, or swale to the east  is moist, and does have  clumps of ferns, suggesting  a source existed at one point.  However, the stream bed appears to have been totally dry for many years.  Perhaps the construction of a nearby, parallel gravel road for horse and wagon caused a diversion of this source. The road is known to follow roughly the "old Indian path" heading north.

Old stream bed  in the Central Section, with row of stepping stones,  crossing from the down-hill on one side to  the up-hill," east to west.  This area of Massachusetts was settled  about 1767. At some point an early farmer constructed a raised causeway just behind where I am standing to take the photo. 

The Enigma

Today I followed deer tracks along a stream bed, and came back upon this  Group of Rocks which I'd "flagged" last month. (To alert the Forrester that this is a special  construction and please don't relocate it, as he has done with some boulders he didn't want to maneuver around. )

An unusual grouping  of stones in the southern section, beside a brook at the South end of Historic Landscape,  with effigy stone on right. 

The effigy overlooks rocks placed in the crevices. The stones tucked into the  rear space are very dense and weight a great deal more than one might expect for their size.It appears that they came from a single larger stone, shaped like a Gouda cheese round, then sliced into several pie shaped pieces, and of A pudding stone composition.  

In the Central Area,  a Standing Stone on a knoll between two dry stream beds, on the east side of  what I've termed the  "ceremonial" area.  One of the  stream beds still carries the spring run-off, but is not spring-fed. (Yours Truly, Alma LaFrance, beside a standing stone." 

A Walk in the Woods

Effigy

This  stone resembles a bird,'s head, and is located on the north end of the plateau, facing west towards The Lake, about 1/3 of a mile from  what appears to have been a main Native American ceremonial site.  What is noticeable is that the stone piles here do not have additional bits and bobs of "donation" rocks,  as appear to have been added over time to those in the southern end of this location. 

Large "Nut Grinding"  Boulder

This boulder is about 3 1/2 feet tall and about 5 feet in diameter. It is located on the highest spot at the northern end of  the "long trail" which  can be seen behind the boulder.  The animals  (Moose, Deer, Bear, Fox, CoyDogs) use  the trail  regularly.  From the trail, one can see the remnant of a small spring in the   swale below. 

Is this a perched boulder or a balanced rock?  A curiosity which faces west towards The Lake. There is evidence
of some pecking. A lot of rocks around the base are studded with garnets and there is a large split boulder loaded with quartz and lots of other shiny bits nearby. 

Circle of Stones with Quartz in Center

Marked Rock Piles

I've marked about 18 rock piles and effigy type arrangements so that the logger can spot and hopefully avoid them with the heavy equipment.

Lakeside Feature

A large  boulder with quartz seams. The boulder is split, and filled with smaller bits and "offerings..."  There is even a tiny bit of quartz balanced with another tiny pebble,  on a small  rock just to the left of the "nose"....about 11:30 of the clock.

Not Your Ordinary Rock Pile

This is an interesting rock pile   It is in the deep woods, alongside a spring fed stream...

It consists of 8 large boulders leaning upon one another...a small quartz rock is tucked in-between a gap on the south side; there is a two piece slab,  placed on the north side. The gaps are "chinked" with small pieces of slate.

Close up of "effigy" 

Rear view showing slabs of rock leaning upon one another.