America's Stonehenge

The computer just lost my blog! I spent an hour and a half on it, and it's gone. And I have to go to sleep!

Well, this is the short version: today was America's Stonehenge, a site that has been carbon-dated to 2000 BC. It's not built like the European Stonehenge, but it can still be used to read celestial events such as equinoxes. I think it will be a good addition to my first literature unit on Native American mythology since we are particularly tuned in to that in the Cherokee nation. As far as I know, there are no other sites like this that have been excavated and researched. The Pueblos of the Southwest would be a similar kind of site, but this site is made entirely of granite, in slabs and boulders and chunks of several tons. It's hard to imagine how they might have moved those 4000 years ago; however, the construction is so careful that the chambers that still have their roofes don't leak. In addition to that, A.S. served as a stop on the Underground Railroad because it was near the post road running north out of Boston.

I spent an enjoyable afternoon on Mystery Hill doing video and photography of the site and talking to a few people, but I mostly had the place to myself. It was another good opportunity to reflect on how deep our roots run, in areas we've never even seen.

Tomorrow they are calling for flooding rains; I parked the car on higher ground and will hope for the best. I want to start on Salem, MA, tomorrow if possible. Wish me luck!