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Home | Mission | 2009 Meeting | Contact | Resources |
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Native American Cultural Landscapes Study Group |
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Founded in 2009 to research and protect Native American sacred landscapes and ceremonial sites |
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2009 Conference Abstracts |
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For NACLSG's inaugural conference, a special effort has been made to include presentations from all corners of America. These presentations include examples of Native American monumental architecture in California, the Northern Plains, the Southeast and Northeast. For site preservation to occur, these constructions must first be recognized as being Native American in origin. For these sites to be recognized, they often first need to be studied. These sites are best studied as a whole, with researchers in distant regions comparing their findings with those of others across the continent. NACLSG's mission is to bring together those working to preserve and study these sites, so as to expedite their recognition and ultimate preservation. [Note: abstracts marked with an asterisk (*) will be narrated remotely. All texts and images copyright © 2009 by their respective authors.]
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Bender, Herman |
*An
Ancient Northern Exposure, Bears and the Journey South along the Sheyenne
River; The Norma Duppler Site (near) Valley City, North Dakota
The Norma Duppler site is a complex petroform site consisting of glacial boulders in löest deposits located along the west side of the Sheyenne River in southeastern North Dakota. To the untrained eye, it appears as random glacial scatter. To the trained eye, it is anything but.
The Duppler
site contains definite (non-random) equinox the family has discovered many artifacts over the years, may of which are consistent with the Archaic time period. Further information:
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Brennan, Janet & Tsui, Mary |
* Siskiyou County, California Rock Walls
and Their Network Native American groups in the area are
small and detached and typically do not address the walls or their origin;
some of the groups belong to the greater potlatch tradition of the
Northwest.
In this presentation, we offer photographs and sketches of the walls, aerial images of the wall networks, discuss the post-contact history (cultural and land-use) of the region, and invite comment and further expert study into unlocking the source, age and relevance of the walls. |
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Dix, Diane |
A Story of Two Friends Who Met Where the Land Meets the Sky: The Making of Manitou 20 years ago.  How two friends perceived what no one else had previously seen and erected a new paradigm for understanding our predecessors in the Northeast. Sky Dix, daughter of Byron Dix, will read her mother Diane's written memories and perspectives of working alongside Byron and Jim Mavor during their investigation of New England stone structures and the writing of Manitou. Sky's presentation will include about 30 minutes of exclusive archival video footage. The first section, taken in the mid-'70s, is of Byron Dix pointing out natural features and enigmatic stone features in the Calendar I bowl and presenting his hypotheses. Following will be a 1982 interview Sal Trento filmed with both Byron and Jim at a Calendar I 
excavation. This is followed by a very brief interview Sal had with Diane
Dix the next day at the row of standing stones at the Gungywamp site.
Diane
and Byron met the following November at a NEARA-Gungywamp Society
conference in Groton. Sky Dix will also show a video she found of
her father giving a talk for the Fortean Society in 1991. This exciting
footage is a synthesis of the close to 20 year partnership between Mavor
and Dix and gives clues to indicate where their research was leading them
and where we might follow. Sally Mavor has also contributed a brief
remembrance of her father and his work on the New England ceremonial
sites.
Further information:
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Donlan, Becky & Frye, Ken |
* Colorado stone chambers, walls, cairns, effigies, horseshoes, altars, etc. Ken Frye is an archaeologist with the USDA Forest Service and BLM in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Becky Donlan has been a volunteer with the Forest Service for several years doing site monitoring. Together we have formed a Colorado 501c(3) non-profit, Native American Research and Preservation, Inc. We are currently working on a number of sites, some possibly
ceremonial. One is a large stone circle surrounded by smaller
circles located on a hilltop in South Park, Colorado. There are numerous
nearby sites, altars, animal effigies.
Further information:
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Guinness, Alison |
The Moodus Noises Further information:
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Harris, Doug |
Preservation successes and failures at the Killingworth, CT complex.
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Harrop, Larry |
Slideshow: Representative Southeastern New England stone constructions: small chambers, serpent walls, effigies, propped boulders and ceremonial complexes.
Further information: |
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Kastning, Ernst |
Conflicted Interpretations and “Gnomenclature” of Talus and
Boulder Chambers of New England and New York: Deciphering Pseudonyms,
Pseudomorphs, Pseudokarst, and Pseudoscience
Rock chambers
are common and dispersed throughout the seven northeastern states. They
are highly diverse in morphology and represent a wide spectrum of origin,
ranging from entirely geomorphic to wholly or partially anthropogenic.
This has resulted in a quandary of interpretation among those who study
stone chambers. Established factual information includes (1) geographic
locations of sites, (2) geometric descriptions of the chambers, (3)
configurations and alignments with respect to location and geometry, (3)
and context of sites, including associations with geology and nearby
features. In many situations, both spatial and temporal relationships
have been well established. Much of this data has been published and
illustrated with sketches, drawings, photographs, and maps, and it
constitutes a data base that is accepted by earth scientists (geologists,
geographers, astronomers), physical and cultural anthropologists
(including archaeologists), historians, philosophers, students of
religion, and spiritualists. Unfortunately
the physical evidence is not always definitive in establishing whether a
stone edifice is merely a product of natural geologic activity or created
by humans. Moreover, in cases where artificial construction is obvious,
there is often disagreement over three major issues: when were they
constructed, by whom, and for what purpose? If it is possible to
definitively establish the age of the site, then it may be easier to
determine who the builders were, and vice-versa. This in turn may help
to resolve whether or not a particular site is prehistoric or of later
age. For example it may be possible to determine if the builders were
native Americans, pre-Columbian Europeans, early colonists, or modern-day
folks. However, unless sufficient documentation is available, it is
generally very difficult, if not impossible, to establish the motives for
construction or the uses of the structures. In those situations
researchers are left with hypothetical conjecture, wishful thinking, and
at best academic intrigue. I use “rock chamber” as a generic morphologic term that is purely descriptive and does not connote a mechanism of origin. It includes natural caves among boulders or within a deposit of talus as well as openings created by humans who have emplaced or arranged stones. Specifically, a cave is a natural opening in the earth that allows a human to enter. “Cave” is often a pseudonym for an opening of anthropogenic origin, but it should not be used as such. Conceptually, humanly constructed rock chambers and natural boulder/talus caves are pseudomorphs of one another. Most caves of the world are examples of karst, features formed primarily by the dissolving of rock, such as limestone or marble, by natural waters. These are found in some northeastern states and many are quite extensive. Boulder and talus caves, on the other hand, are examples of pseudokarst, meaning they appear karst-like, but are formed otherwise - in the case of this presentation, by the movement and accumulation of rocks. They may form within a deposit of boulders, beneath a single large boulder, or where a boulder may have split and separated, creating an opening. Also known as “rock-fall” or “talus” caves, most of these openings occur among boulders that have become dislodged through mass wasting and slope failure or have been deposited by glacial ice. They may be found in all terrains, including at the bases of escarpments, on steep slopes, in valleys, or on level surfaces.
Talus caves have three stages in development: (1) In the primary stage, the host rock is fractured, creating blocks bounded by joints. (2) In the secondary stage, rock fragments become dislocated, transported, and deposited, creating enterable openings (caves). (3) In the tertiary stage, diagenetic changes occur within the talus, including physical and chemical weathering and changes in sizes of interstices through infilling with finer grained particles or through removal of fill by erosion. Superlative talus caves (long, deep, or voluminous) occur where talus deposits are sufficiently thick, clast size is maximized, sorting of clasts is high, interstitial matrix of fill is minimal or has been erosionally removed, and openings remain large over time. Given the
documented existence of stone chambers, it is an entirely different matter
to interpret whether and to what extent humans were associated with their
construction, modification, and use. Crafted stonework, where rocks have
been carefully placed in a neat orderly fashion preclude a natural,
geomorphic origin. The great period of colonial stone masonry has left a
plethora of excellent examples, whether parts of boundary lines,
foundations of buildings, walls and roofs of stone root cellars, or simply
rock stacks. There was a widespread mindset of moving and piling. The
northeastern states are dotted and laced with such stone structures, most
of which were fashioned during the long period of clearing land of
inconvenient glac Further information:
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Luster, Joan |
Drafting local cultural preservation ordinances
The process of preserving sites originates at the local level, and
consists of two steps: recognition followed by formal preservation
efforts. The town of Thompson, Connecticut, as a result of the
valiant efforts of concerned citizens, has listed its nine stone chambers
and a like number of cairn fields on its official inventory of historical
places, as part of the town's official Conservation and Open Space Plan..
They are noted as being noteworthy and deserving of preservation.
This was an important initial step in inventorying some of the most
obvious sites in that community which are deserving of preservation.
But a more formal process is needed to identify additional sites as
specific parcels proposed for development come up for regulatory review.
It is essential to craft a formal process in which knowledgeable local
people can participate in evaluating each potential development parcel in
the community. Subsequent to Thompson's initial inventory, the town's Conservation Commission appointed an archaeology committee with drafting a local ordinance to protect these and additional sites from development. Committee member Joan Luster will share with us the strategies and concerns which go into crafting an ordinance which both protects these sites as well as provides potential incentives to their owners. Placing these sites on an inventory was an important first step, but it is not a conclusive victory until specific sites are firmly preserved. Lessons being learned in Thompson can be applied in any community in the country. Connecticut has been at the forefront of such efforts. We will examine National Parks Service preservation strategies distributed to each of the states, which originated in Connecticut.
Further information:
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Midgely, Polly |
A visual overview of the dense clustering of stone chambers in Southeastern New York. We will examine where they are located and the different styles. Many have been cemented over, had doors and windows installed, been repaired or have otherwise been altered in the modern era.
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Mulligan, Larry |
Two long shaft chambers in Ohio & Pennsylvania, and their relationship to
each other and to
tar pits.
 
Native American Cultural Landscapes study group
An examination of two related chambers located in proximity to each other. Both share certain features, including an association with springs, orientation to the sky and styles of architecture, including interior chambers with barrel-vaulted roofs and ledges. They also share an association with petroleum deposits, including one massive Native American tar harvesting complex dated to the late Mississippian era. (click thumbnails of oil pits below to enlarge)
Further information:
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National Park Service (video) |
Through the Generations: Identifying and
protecting traditional cultural places
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Further information:
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| Oakley, Carey, et al |
Stone structures within the Southeastern
United States
The National Register listed Old Stone Fort of Tennessee
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park Old Stone Fort
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Paul, C. Thomas |
The extension of the Hammonassett line alignment northwest across the Hudson
River: The summer solstice sunset alignment originating at Montauk Point contains a host of sites. This presentation examines additional sites recently uncovered in eastern New York, including walls, boulders, cairns, quartz and serpent effigies.
Further information: |
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Schwartz, Douglas |
Rift
valleys and north pilgrimage roads
The Eastern coast of North
America is lined with a large collection of rift valleys formed two
hundred million years ago when the
super-continent Pangea broke
apart, resulting in Europe, South America and Africa splitting off from
the East Coast. The largest of these rifts became the Atlantic Ocean.
Many are aware of some of the larger rifts, including the central
valley of Connecticut and
Massachusetts (host to the world's largest collection of fossilized dinosaur footprints
Bedrock fault lines were of cardinal significance in Native cosmology,
as they represent a special class
Further information: of
spirit entrances into the Earth Mother. Rift valleys are a special
class of bedrock faults, of extra significance. We find a great many
ritual sites in conjunction with these rifts in southeastern New
England, and one can predict a similar ritual focus on these valleys
wherever else they occur on the continent. Geologists have recently
concluded that "Rather
than studying the rift basins as local features, ongoing work reveals
that the Triassic-Jurassic rifts should be considered in a broader
context that spans the entire proto-Atlantic realm."
Similarly, the Native ceremonial sites located in conjunction with
these rift valleys should be examined as a whole, not simply at the
local level.
These rift valleys are also ecologically unique, creating
temperate niches in the landscape. Indeed, the first humans evolved in
the sheltered environment of the very deep rifts of eastern Africa, a
fact fully in agreement with the cosmological beliefs of many Native
Americans. We will visit examples of micro rifting in field trips right
at the conference site, along with the ceremonial stone constructions
found in conjunction with them, including a focus on "specific caves"
and "cliff crevices" as noted in the excerpt below. Additionally, we
will see evidence of pilgrimage roads leading out of these rifts and
between the ceremonial sites found both in the rifts and along their upper
rims.
1) The Great Rift Valleys of Pangea in Eastern North America: Vol. 1 Vol. 2 3) Kathryn Gabriel, Roads to Center Place:
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Taylor, Cathy |
Orienting to the Milky Way: gateways to the celestial river Indigenous peoples were sky watchers, not only observing the sun and moon, but also actively watching and working with the orientation of the Milky Way. The crossroad of the ecliptic (path of the sun) and the Milky Way was important and marked carefully by many peoples. Throughout the world, the belief was that the spirits of the deceased traveled to the Milky Way, the great celestial river. How the spirits both traveled to and entered into the Milky Way was a central cosmological focus of many peoples. We will explore the importance of stars and constellations connecting to the cultural landscapes in places such as the Serpent Mound in Ohio, the Upton Chamber in Massachusetts, and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Further information: |
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Field trips: |
Weather permitting, field trips will be conducted at the end of the conference on Sunday, November 1. (Please note that Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00 AM Nov. 1.) Depending on interest, additional trips will be held at dawn on both Saturday and Sunday, prior to breakfast (refer to the program schedule). Camp Wightman is situated in the midst of a dense concentration of sites, with plenty of good examples to view. These include clear evidence of pilgrimage paths and designs intended to direct large numbers of people through this complex. | ||||||
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and summer solstice sunset alignments, associated petroform, bear effigy i
magery
and more. As the site is located in the Plains, a bison association is
also present. On a cultural basis, the site quite possibly represents
Plains tribes’ migration and cosmology traditions. Likely late Archaic
in age,
The “new” Mt. Shasta – the peak replacing the older, collapsed
mountain - is the focus of their religious heritage, and the Shasta
Valley, at all points dominated by the great mountain, is at the foot of
its northwest side. 
Most
of the more significant boulder/talus caves in the northeast are the
result of a three-dimensional accumulation of clasts (particles - in this
case boulders) that vary in size, sorting, and shape. Clasts may be (1)
spheroidal, discoidal, or rod-like boulders, (2) blocks, or (3) slabs and
blades. The size and extent of openings (caves) among the clasts depends
on the texture of the boulder/talus accumulation, including size, shape,
and sorting of the particles. 
ial-till-stones
as farming proliferated in the region. Many of these structures now lie
in ruin, in remote wooded areas, long after farm houses and barns have
rotten away. To determine with certainty if these edifices are
pre-Columbian or prehistoric or simply relics of old farmsteads is
difficult. Questions need to be asked: Do alignments have
achaeoastronomical significance? A
re
rocks appearing as piles, groups, or in crude alignments as messages from
the past or are they merely coincidental sports of nature? Do any or all
chambers formed where two or more huge rocks lean against each other
indicate that they were artificially arranged that way to form a spiritual
opening to the netherworld or a Mother-Earth symbol; or are they simply
boulder caves that may or may not have been used in this manner? All of
these are plausible; But to state categorically and without hard evidence
that a structure is primitive or pre-Columbian or that it was used in a
certain spiritual or shamanistic sense, is pseudoscience at best.
Hypotheticals, gut feelings, and wishful or imaginative thinking are not
substitutes for factual, hare-core science.
he
Southwest there appears to be a coincident occurrence of Anasazi
ceremonial sites and the rift valleys of that region.
