Tuesday, March 4, 2014

History Under the Snow

     This afternoon I decided to  go for a walk at one of my favorite sites.  There are three propped boulders in this small area on a little lakeside hill.  Recently, I have been exploring the idea that Native campsites had three sections:  a residential area and two gender-specific work areas, and that these areas may be  marked with propped boulders.  I have found mortars and grinding slicks near or even on some propped boulders, supporting a function as work sites. Even though these details are hidden under ice and snow, it is still fun to walk and imagine a winter camp.
   On entering the site, I always stop to admire this large propped boulder which looks like a bird head.


This is one part of the "corner".  About 60 feet away is another  propped boulder.


Walking up to it, I realize it has a nice flat top at the right height for working standing up.
 It also has its own supply of quartz.


Maybe this was the men's work station for making arrowheads and tools. I have shown this boulder before, in this imaginary depiction of winter at this site first shown 3/20/13.


Today the snow is deeper and covers the bedrock and seat.  At the top of the hill is the third propped boulder of the corner.




This hilltop is broad and gently sloping, and would have made a good camping area. This boulder stands alone on the hill, and may also have been a marker for winter solstice (3/13/13). There are other stone markers of this area's previous uses.




So much history hidden in a small area by a lake.




















No comments:

Post a Comment