Stone Basement ?

[papa]

Some years ago my while out deer hunting with my Dad,he took me to a large open field,and on top of a knoll,there is a rock lined hole.About 20' X 40'.about ten foot deep.The walls are nice and straight,the floor is also rock.Not solid rock,but lots of different size rock.No sign of mud or cement to hold them together.Just a large rock lined hole.Looks like a big cookie cutter cut it out.No one remembers any type of building being there.Not even the land owner,the land has been in his family for several generations.There are several animal skeltons at the bottom. Could this be man made or natural ? Any ideas ?
I hope to get back this fall and look around some more,if the land owner will let us.He has a lot of trouble with some hunters trashing his property.
Has any one got any ideas as to what this is,or was ?

[Mr.Silver]

It might be were deer carcass were placed when a deer was hit on or by the road, and game warden would put these deer in the pit and put lime on them to help the smell go away!
We have one that you describe but its not in use any more, game warden can not do this anymore because of health reasons!

Mr.Silver

[Wyatt Earp]

Sounds like a cellar hole to me. It makes no difference that nobody remembers a building being there. That just means it's probably very old. The skeletons are probably from slob deer hunters who don't know how to properly dispose of the carcasses of animals. We have a guy here who throws them into mine sinkholes. It's pretty disgusting actually.

Wyatt

[Monk]

PAPA, You didn't say what state and county this was found in? It might help to know! = events in history you know.
I'd think you should be able to tell if it was layed up by human hands? Likely if it was it would have taken a group of men to do it, it sounds like quite a job there to do. And where would they have put the dirt out of the hole? If it's man made, start checking history of the area. And use a M/D on the area, should find something to give you a idea what was there? Do run your detector over the floor of the basement, could be a cache under a stone. Anyway you have fun.

[papa]

I just have the feeling that it's not man made,nothing to back it up(yet)
It's in Wythe.County,Virginia.About 7 miles east of Wytheville.BUT,it's less than 20 miles east of Cove Mountain.CW battle site,May,1864. 10 miles north of Max Meadows,another CW battle,May 11,1864.I haven't been able to get much history on this area(where the hole is) but by just standing there you get the feeling that this place could be well protected,good view of the area,on high ground,would take a lot to over run this position.Near by creek for water,good hunting within walking distance.I could go on and on about the area.I don't get to go very often,but,maby I can look up some of the "older folks" see what they say.There is one more "old story" about the area,but for now,well ,lets see what happens.