'"Some have argued they are remnants of colonial agricultural and storage practices; others that they are prehistoric Native American ceremonial structures...Clearly, further work is warranted at these and other sites, since the older age of 3,595 ± 260 years is an intriguing and valued look into the earliest dates of construction to these features." - Shannon Mahan
Optically
Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) data and ages for selected Native American Sacred
Ceremonial Stone Landscape features--Final Project Report Submitted to the
Narragansett Tribal Historic Preservation Trust
“Stone
rows, enclosures, structures and chambers can be found in the landscapes of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Structures similar to those shown in the cover
photo are documented elsewhere. The age, cultural affiliation, and purpose of
these stone structures--which are found in a variety of forms, such as piles
arranged in spatial configurations across landscapes, shapes suggesting animal
effigies, platforms and chambers--have been the subject of much debate. Some have
argued they are remnants of colonial agricultural and storage practices; others
that they are prehistoric Native American ceremonial structures.
Ascertaining
the time periods of their creation had previously been impossible. We felt that
optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) had the potential to provide meaningful
insights into their origins. In June 2018, samples for luminescence dating were
taken from three sites: the Pratt Hill Site near Upton, located in south
central Massachusetts; the Tolba Site of Leverett, located in western
Massachusetts; and the Site of Hopkinton, Rhode Island. These samples were
taken from hand-dug pits beneath stone structures to depths past modern soils
into the geomorphic feature upon which the stones were placed (i.e. alluvial
fan or terrace). The object of this excavation was to date the placement time
of the stones onto the geomorphic feature. Luminescence chronology is an ideal
scientific measurement, since the physics of the phenomenon mean that it dates
the last time mineral grains of quartz and feldspar were exposed to sunlight or
heat above 150 °C. All sediment samples were dated using OSL on very small
aliquots of <50-10 grains.
The age
of the sample from the Site of Hopkinton, Rhode Island is in the range of 1570-1490 C.E (or 490 ± 40 years ago).
The ages of the samples from Pratt Hill near Upton,
Massachusetts, at a site that was recently desecrated by being scraped off the
boulder foundation it was originally built on, are 1475-1375 C.E. (595 ± 50 years) for the top sample and 1315-1835 B.C.E (3,595 ± 260 years) for
the bottom sample. These samples were obtained from dust or loess that had
blown into the structure and collected in the scooped out hollow of the boulder
foundation.
The ages of the Tolba site in Leverett,
Massachusetts cover the ranges of 1670-1510 C.E. (430 ± 80 years), 1730-1570
C.E. (370 ± 80 years), 1420-1220 C.E. (700 ± 100 years) at the base. A sample
obtained beneath a housing foundation and into the land surface very near to
this site also gave an age range of 1470-1230 C.E. (670 ± 120 years). A brick
used in the house manufacturing was also taken back to the lab for luminescence
dating but data are not available at this time.
Construction ages of the Upton Stone Chamber: Preliminary findings and suggestions for future luminescence research
Shannon A. Mahan a, * , F.W. Martin b, c , Catherine Taylor c, d a U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Ctr., MS 974, Denver, CO 80225-5046, USA b Massachusetts Archeological Society, 50 Village Ave., Dedham, MA 02026, USA c New England Antiquities Research Association, 58 Cortland Road, Milford, NH 03055, USA d Town of Upton Historical Commission, 14 Plain St, Upton, MA 01568, USA
https://www.uptonma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif5121/f/uploads/upton_stone_chamber_-_preliminary_findings.pdfIn a previous study of OSL dating performed on
sediment from the Upton Chamber Site, it was established that European contact
was documented in Plymouth at 1620 C.E., in Boston at 1630 C.E. and Upton at
1660 C.E. It is interesting that most of the currently sampled stone ceremonial
structure ages are falling in the Upton time frame (455 to 580 years ago, with
one lower age at 700 years) except for the lower Pratt Hill sample, which is
considerably older than any other previous age obtained.
One theory
is that the ceremonial structures were sacred sites that were cared for and
maintained during the years of sole Native American occupation. This theory
postulates that as Europeans settlers disseminated across the landscape, the
disease and displacement they brought largely ended the Native population’s
ability to maintain these sites and that the OSL dating documents this time of
disrepair instead of an original placement of stones on a geomorphic surface.
Clearly, further work is warranted at these and other sites, since the older
age of 3,595 ± 260 years is an
intriguing and valued look into the earliest dates of construction to these
features.
Shannon Mahan
smahan@usgs.gov
Data Source:
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Excellent post, Tim. This is what the archeologists in New England need to be reading. I personally know three sites in RI and two sites in NH that need a reputable, career archeologist to stop writing Colonial Bias papers and to start to perform some OSL studies in the field on obvious ceremonial stone landscape features.
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