Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Journals and Campus Publications Society Spring 2013 Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Vol. 74, No. 1 Massachusetts Archaeological Society Follow this and additional works at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/bmas Copyright © 2013 Massachusetts Archaeological Society This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 74 (1) SPRING 2013 Editor’s Note..............................................................................................................1 Acorn to Icon: The History of the Pow-Wow Oak in Lowell, Massachusetts Eugene C. Winter..........................................................................................................2 An Early Colonial Native American Trade Point on Boston Common Joseph Bagley......................................................................................................16 A New Type of Scraper William B. Taylor........................................................................................................20 The Deeds for Titicut (Ketiticut) Plantation William B. Taylor........................................................................................................23 New England Native American Spirit Structures Mary E. Gage....................................................................................................25 Contributors..............................................................................................................................33 BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 74(1) SPRING 2013 1_ Editor’s Note Curtiss Hoffman THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Inc. P. O. Box 700, Middleborough, Massachusetts 02346-0700 Welcome to the Spring 2013 issue of the MAS Bul- At this point in my own research, with over 3,300 letin! This issue contains a number of interesting such sites recorded throughout the eastern sea- THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Inc. studies of the Native past of our area. The lead board of the U.S. and Canada, several of which are Robbins Museum of Archaeology article, by Eugene Winter, traces the history of a tied to written historical records by Euro-Ameri- Website address: www.massarchaeology.org venerable oak tree in his home neighborhood, can eyewitnesses to the Native use of such struc- phone: (508) 947-9005 through meticulous documentary research, back tures; with archaeological excavation of a limited email: [email protected] to its probable Native use. The second article, by number of the structures showing them to be of Boston City Archaeologist Joseph Bagley, illus- pre-Contact age by radiocarbon dating; and with Officers: trates the importance of returning to old artifact Native American claims that these are, in fact, Philip Graham, 302 Summer St., Apt. #2, Plantsville, CT 06479 President collections, in this case resulting in the find of a their ancestors’ constructions, some of which are Fred Robinson, 6 Christopher Drive, Greenville, RI 02828 Vice President Contact period metal cut-out point from the Bos- still in use as sacred sites today, I believe that we Susan Jacobucci, 4 Columbian St. Unit 9, Weymouth MA 02190 Clerk ton Common. There are also two articles by our may safely consider the above hypothesis to have Dan Lorraine, 63 Cranberry Terrace, Cranston, RI 02921 Treasurer most frequent contributor, Bill Taylor, one on a been soundly refuted, and move on to a system- David De Mello, P.O. Box 262, Mattapoisett, MA 02739 Museum Coordinator new type of scraper and the other on the original atic study of these structures and their distribu- Curtiss Hoffman, 58 Hilldale Road, Ashland, MA 01721 Bulletin Editor Native deeds to the Titicut area. tion within the landscape. In my travels to many Jane Lopes, P.O. Box 1273, Middleborough, MA 02346 Corresponding Secretary state historic preservation offices and state archae- Frederica Dimmick, P.O. Box 33, Cataumet MA 02534 Past President The last article, by Mary Gage, assisted by her son ologists’ offices in whose jurisdictions these struc- James Gage, describes a type of stone construc- tures are reported, I have found considerable sup- Trustees: Term Expires tion frequently found in southern New England port for the countervailing hypothesis, that at least Joseph Bagley, 195 Boston St., Dorchester MA 02125 October 2015 which they contend relates to Native American some of the structures were built by Native Amer- Edwin C. Ballard, 26 Heritage Road, Rehoboth, MA 02769 October 2014 ceremonialism. Some readers have commented to icans. It will always be possible to challenge the Suanna Selby Crowley, 59 Boynton Road., Medford, MA 02155 October 2015 me, indirectly, that they have some concerns about cultural affiliation of any one particular structure, Tmothy Fohl, 681 South Street, Carlisle, MA 01741 October 2013 publishing information of this sort in our Bulletin. and such challenges are welcomed. But we need McKayla Hoffman, 180 Main St., Apt. 115, Bridgewater MA 02324 October 2014 There is a perception (particularly among some to move beyond old ideas about them, and if we David McKenna, 383 Andover St., Danvers MA 01923 October 2014 members of the local professional archaeologi- do, this will have policy implications for preserva- R. Wayne Legge, 870 West Center St., West Bridgewater MA 02379 October 2015 cal community) that the study of such structures tionists. No matter who built them, the structures Jennifer Poulsen, 195 Boston St., Dorchester MA 02125 October 2013 amounts to pseudoscience. However, the term are definitely part of the cultural landscape of the John Rempelakis, 7 Fairview Farm Road, Haverhill, MA 01832 October 2013 “pseudoscience” should only be used to refer to region, and should receive the same review and Bruce R. Rusch, 97 Brimstone Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 October 2015 the methodology employed, not to the subject compliance protections as are afforded to standing Alan F. Smith, 156 Ararat Street, Worcester, MA 01606 October 2014 matter explored. Science should be free to explore structures and buried archaeological sites. I am William Taylor, 108 Vernon Street, Middleborough, MA 02346 October 2013 any subject, so long as it uses a systematic, quanti- pleased to report that in some states, they do. Eugene Winter, 54 Trull Lane, Lowell, MA 01852 October 2015 fiable methodology. Those who are familiar with the history of archaeology in this region will be During the production process of Edward L. Bell’s Judith Zeitlin, Dept. Anthropology, UMass, Boston, MA 02125 MAS Representative on the MHC well aware that until fairly recently all archaeol- article, “Discerning Placemaking: Archaeology Timothy Fohl, 681 South Street, Carlisle, MA 01741 Newsletter Editor ogy used non-systematic, non-quantifiable meth- and Native Histories of the Den Rock Area, Law- David De Mello, P.O. Box 262, Mattapoisett, MA 02739 Archivist odologies which could be characterized as pseu- rence and Andover, MA” published in the Bulletin Curtiss Hoffman, 58 Hilldale Road, Ashland, MA 01721 Membership Secretary doscience; indeed, some of our colleagues in the v. 73(2), changes were made to the manuscript sub- Joseph Bagley, 195 Boston St., Dorchester MA 02125 Photographer hard sciences still think this of us. mitted that were not approved by the author prior Kathryn M. Fairbanks, 145 Aldrich Street, Roslindale, MA 02131 Librarian to publication. Typographic and formatting errors Laurie Stundis, 51 Country Road, Plympton, MA 02367 Administrative Assistant But the nature of science is that it is – or, at least, to this article and a small number of other errors to should be – self-correcting. That is, scientists pro- other articles were also introduced inadvertently The BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY is published semi-annually, pose hypotheses which are capable of being dis- by the editorial production staff. Anyone wishing with a Spring issue, Number 1, and a Fall issue, Number 2. Individual memberships in the Society that confirmed. The statement often voiced in certain a replacement .pdf of the Fall 2012 issue of the Bul- include receiving the Bulletin are $30. For information on institutional subscriptions and other special rates quarters that Native Americans never built stone letin may request one by contacting the Editor. for membership, as well as requests for back issues of the Bulletin, please visit our website or contact the structures should be treated as such a hypothesis, Massachusetts Archaeological Society, P.O. Box 700, Middleborough, MA 02346 (508-947-9005). Publication for it is capable of being tested empirically. Ashland, MA in the Bulletin is a privilege of membership. Manuscripts and comments may be sent to the editor, Curtiss April 2013 This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling,loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. ©2013 Massachusetts Archaeological Society. BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 74(1) SPRING 2013 1_ Editor’s Note Curtiss Hoffman THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Inc. P. O. Box 700, Middleborough, Massachusetts 02346-0700 Welcome to the Spring 2013 issue of the MAS