The Bowl

We could only wait a few days until we had to journey back again to the site of our
rediscovery of the stone bowl. This trip was again not without its mysteries and
rewards. Below are a few more photographs.

As always, I appreciate all input and comments and apologize for not always
posting  and responding quickly to personal email. I am doing much non-blog
writing for a book that an agent is anxious to pitch on the story that I have
hinted about on this blog for the past two years. Now that we have relocated
the stone, a major piece we needed to tell the story is in place.

The Site of the Stone

Looking across a spring-fed pool to west. The stone is centered between the
two trees in the foreground. About 30 feet behind it is another stone of interest
just before the crest of the hill. Our trusty labrador drew our attention to it, not
that we wouldn't have noticed her find eventually!

Roxy Sees Something...

Notice the small hole in the top of stone? We didn't at first either, until closer
inspection...


A ceremonial niche of some sort? The beginning of a farmer's aborted attempt
to split the rock for a wall or foundation?  Those were my first thoughts. There
are other huge boulders in a nearby pasture that were drilled to make holes
for long-gone iron hinged gates, somewhat odd in itself. However, the proximity
of this stone to the bowl stone  makes me settle on two possibilities upon further
reflection. 1) Someone wanted to see how difficult it would be to recreate the
bowl stone...and finding it quite difficult, gave up. 2) This was made in relation
to the bowl stone. It is lined up perfectly, west to east, looking down the hill.
If the bowl stone, as I theorize, was used to make food, medicine or for
ceremonial purposes, fire was a necessary component. This niche could have
been used a firestarter hole utilizing the stick or bow method, with tinder
resting atop it. Another blog post below pictures a rock formation to the right
of this 'niche stone' which has heavy red iron oxide deposits, an indication of
many fires burning against it. At least, that is my current thinking...

A Different View of The Bowl Stone

A little more clearing of the stone, past what we did on the initial visit, revealed
some markings which do not appear to be glacial scratches, in my opinion. The
angular lines to the right encompass area which is abraded about 1/8 inch lower than
the rest of the stone's surface. The slightly curved line to the extreme right does
not connect to the angular ones. The gouged channels at the bottom right are
perhaps for sweeping or draining away material from the bowl into other
containers.

Markings on the Bowl Stone

These don't match any known Algonquin markings I've been able to find in my
papers, books or research...but I'm not done looking! It could be the abraded
area was just utilitarian. A little more clean up may reveal more.
As always any opinions are welcome.

and finally...the two photographs below are of a stone I've passed by and
photographed a few times but not published  which goes to prove how close
I've come to the bowl stone over the years and walked right by.

A Nearby Toppled Manitou Stone?

Reverse angle, showing interesting stratification...


...and from the front, assuming the square base at right is a 'base' it could
indicate it once stood upright.  If so, that off center manitou 'nub' at the top
left would be in it's proper upright position.


In closing this post, I'm reminded to state that several of the sites we have
visited in this area have shown some signs of 'old' vandalism or perhaps the
ravages of time. It's been written in several accounts that known native sacred
sites were destroyed by colonists or even by converted Indians.

Some of the unpublished work I've done lends credibility to this. Even more,
though these sites are relatively remote, modern encroachment is a real threat.
(I was nearly flattened by a pack of dirt bikers one sunny day, and you can find
a long trail of empty Bud Light cans along many a dirt road.)

I do write this blog with a twist of humor at times...but I would also like to assure
readers that the work we are doing is done with the utmost respect. It has been
an incredible spiritual journey that I can only begin to touch on here. 

You have to pay attention to the little things. There are no coincidences. Listen to
everyone and make the connections, you'll be amazed at the places you'll go.

 

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