|
Analysis
Stone structure analysis is based on construction techniques, architectural features, and size. Every wall stone needs to be treated as potential architectural features in data collection.
Shapes – Color – Quartz - Components
Shapes:
Rectangular & Triangular – used to block out uninvited spirits from entering the chamber
V shape – a spirit portal to the Underworld
Color:
White – used to block out uninvited spirits from entering the V shaped Underworld spirit portal
Quartz:
On exterior next to shaft/spirit portal to block out uninvited spirits from entering the spirit portal
Components:
Chamber – an Underworld structure with access to Outer Underworld, the interior of chamber and access to Inner Underworld via Underworld spirit portals.
V-shaped indentations in walls – two were found one (large) at ground level and second (small) is on top of a base stone in line with shaft/spirit portal. The ground level Underworld spirit portal was used to invite Underworld Spirit into the chamber in the Outer Underworld. Underworld Spirit used this portal to exit the Inner Underworld into the Outer Underworld. Second Underworld spirit portal was used by Sun Spirit to enter the Inner Underworld.
Shaft-like opening from exterior to interior wall – a spirit portal for Sun Spirit to leave Upperworld and enter the Outer Underworld inside the chamber. Shaft portal functioned in conjunction with the small V shaped Underworld spirit portal.
Depression in earthen floor – a second type of Underworld spirit portal to the Inner Underworld. It was used by Underworld Spirit to re-enter the Inner Underworld. It functioned in conjunction with the large V shaped Underworld spirit portal.
Standing stones outside of chamber – a rectangular and triangular set of standing stones used to block out uninvited spirits from entering the chamber
Paving/floor stones – kept the spirit of the people (shamans) entering the chamber from accessing the Inner Underworld. A single paving stone was used in entrance. Two rectangular paving stones large enough for people to sit on were on the floor inside. This suggests two shamans went inside to conduct the ceremony.
Symbolism, Spirits, Balance
Each shape, color, quartz, component was used in a symbolic manner. Through symbolic use of features the Native Americans conveyed to each other and passed on from one generation to the next, cultural ideas. That same use of symbolism was conveyed to the spirits who they were working with. Spirits are living beings with intelligence and understanding like human beings who respond to being assisted and directed for the common good. In other words, the spirits willingly worked with the people.
Spirits are recognized through symbolic features. The shaft – spirit portal was set up to function with the winter sunset alignment. It brings a beam of light into the chamber at sunset on the winter solstice. The V shaped indentation in the west wall is at ground level and accompanied by a white stone. From the study done for the America’s Stonehenge Deciphered book it is known this feature is an Underworld spirit portal used by Underworld Spirit. Only the spirits invited to the ceremony were allowed inside the chamber. To keep out all other uninvited spirits and to keep invited spirits from entering the wrong spirit portal triangles and rectangles were used plus the color white and quartz. This tells us other spirits were known to be in the area but not the name of those spirits.
This chamber was also designed to be in-balance. Balance is a concept created by two parts. Balance permeates every aspect connected with this chamber. There are two V-shaped spirit portals, two white stones, two spirits, roof has two slabs (roof stone and lintel stone), entrance has a paving stone and interior has paving stones (two parts with unequal numbers), a pair of symbolic standing stones the rectangle & triangle, and an Upperworld spirit and an Underworld spirit. The two V-shaped spirit portals each have a separate task one is an entrance and other is an exit. They are arranged to function with two different spirits and two other spirit portals. The two spirits each came from a different world Sun Spirit from Upperworld and Underworld Spirit from Underworld. This created balance between Upperworld and Underworld as both were represented which in turn created a set of two. Two people probably shamans holding the ceremony balanced the two spirits. Balance was at the core of this chamber and the ceremony that took place here. Every feature was arranged to fit the balance concept. Balance was a core cultural belief.
Do any of the elements exist at other stone structure sites?
America’s Stonehenge, southeastern New Hampshire
White stone blocks in interior of chamber
Pair of triangle and rectangle – used in standing stone positions and flat on ground
Matching rectangular stones to form V-shaped indentation
Square storage chamber with single roof slab
Shaft from exterior to interior – used as a speaking tube
Paving Stones
Gungywamp, southeastern Connecticut
Shaft from exterior to interior – used in a solar alignment to interior of chamber
Paving Stones
Lochmere, central New Hampshire
Short lengths of stone wall block entrances.
Hampstead & Northwood, New Hampshire, Hopkinton, Rhode Island
Each town has cairn sites. Within the cairn sites are individual cairns with deliberate depressions built into the top of a few cairns.
Each of the features found in the Burlington, MA Chamber are also found at stone structure sites throughout New England. In addition the sites at Gungywamp and America’s Stonehenge exhibit strong use of balance by incorporating two parts.
Why was the structure built?
The chamber was built and designed to hold a winter solstice sunset ceremony where people assisted the Sun Spirit in leaving Upperworld and entering Inner Underworld for part of the year. During the ceremony Underworld Spirit was invited to be at the ceremony as host spirit. Sun Spirit was the guest spirit in Underworld.
A sunset ceremony with a very similar set up was used at the Gungywamp Site in Connecticut. In the Gungywamp ceremony Underworld Spirit is called into the Outer Underworld, main room of chamber from outside via people entrance from an outside Underworld spirit portal. Sun Spirit is called into the Outer Underworld, main room of chamber from outside via a shaft from exterior to interior. Both the spirits once inside the main room of chamber are ushered into a small chamber inside the large chamber. Small chamber is where Sun Spirit and Underworld both enter the Inner Underworld. Here the Underworld Spirit assists the Sun Spirit in entering the Inner Underworld where both spirits use the same Inner Underworld spirit portal.
At America’s Stonehenge in southeastern New Hampshire a summer solstice sunset ceremony was held outside with exposed bedrock split stone spirit portals for the spirits to enter the Inner Underworld. Here Sun Spirit used one spirit portal at west end of cliff. Underworld Spirit returned to the Inner Underworld via a spirit portal associated with the ravine on east end of site. The two spirits were kept separate during the ceremony and each entered the Inner Underworld at separate spirit portals. Of note, sunrise and mid-day alignments did take place inside chambers at America’s Stonehenge. However, all sunset alignments took place outside.
The Burlington Chamber ceremony has traits from both Connecticut and New Hampshire. The shaft-opening for the sunset alignment and Sun Spirit to enter the chamber is a trait from Connecticut. The two separate spirit portals, for each spirit to enter Inner Underworld during a sunset ceremony is a trait from New Hampshire.
Could this chamber be a farm structure?
The wall which the chamber is embedded in is part of a walled-in area to keep livestock. The entrance to the chamber faces out on the opposite side of the livestock area. The next thought may be was it used for chickens or hogs. For either the chicken or hog there must be access to the structure to be able to clean out the manure and with the chickens to collect the eggs. The only access is to crawl on hands and knees through the two foot one inch high entrance on a manure covered surface to get inside the structure to clean it or collect eggs on a daily basis. On a practical level the structure is not useful to any farming activity.
On the Miner Farm in Hopkinton, RI the land has been farmed since the 1700’s. By the early 1900’s through word-of-mouth, it has been pasted down that the stone cairns and small chambers (niches) on the property have always been there. Nobody knows who built them, they are simply there. Each new owner has been made aware of them and ultimately left them alone as they are curiosities. The author recently had an opportunity to tour the farm and see these cairns. Not all farmers as can be seen destroy unknown stone structures some maintain them by simply leaving them alone.
Dating
The traits from America’s Stonehenge in New Hampshire began to be used circa 500 A.D. The traits from Gungywamp in Connecticut are found in a chamber associated with a dated feature called the Double Stone Circle. The circle was built circa 500 A.D. At America’s Stonehenge the sunset ceremony where Sun Spirit entered the Inner Underworld took place up until circa 800 A.D. After 800 A.D. changes were made at America’s Stonehenge and Sun Spirit no longer went into the Underworld at the sunset ceremony. At Gungywamp the sunset ceremony took place up until 1350 A.D. The Burlington, MA chamber uses traits from both America’s Stonehenge and Gungywamp. This suggests the Burlington chamber was built during a time range of between 500 A.D. and 800 A.D. How long it remained in use is not known as the Sun Spirit in Connecticut continued to enter the Underworld for part of the year up until 1350 A.D. when it suddenly stopped.
Conclusion
The chamber was built and used by Native Americans for a sunset ceremony in which Sun Spirit leaves the Upperworld and enters the Underworld. Its use of traits from the south and north show the people who built it actively communicated through trade and/or travel with their neighbors beyond their own territory. Ideas were generously shared. A general cultural belief in balance appears to have been inherited with each group or band. The balance concept is strictly adhered to whereas the actual ceremony was sometimes created by mixing and matching as seen here. The ceremonies and the spirits involved were not the sole ownership of one group. The spirits in particular were apart of everyone’s group or band. They were universal. It was knowledge of the ceremony and ceremonial structure that was passed on, along with ideas on how to work with the spirits. Through sharing more groups participated in certain ceremonies thus helping to insure and maintain balance and harmony with the spirits and thus the natural world.
|
