pits

[chicken_little]

Does anyone here know if Indians dug pits? I was reading a book, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, that WVaTom suggested I read. I noticed it said that countless pits were observed throughout southernmost ohio where indians dug down to get to the "Flint Ridge" there. Immediately after I read that, I thought of a large pit in the woods behind my house. It is about 40 feet long by 30 wide, and about 15 feet deep. Its on top of a 'platuea' overlooking a creek. This is a sandy soil place and there is no "flint ridge" under the earth. Also there are no mounds around where I live. It does not hold water. My dad thought it was a gravel pit. Do you guys know what purposes Indians would have had for digging pits?

Another thought occured to me as I was typing this. This pit is very close to a bend in the creek. Close to that bend, there is a place that fills up everytime we get a significant rainfall. It looks like it is use to be where the creek flowed - like those places that get filled up once the river changed directions. I thought, maybe the Indians used the dirt from the pit to block the creek so it would flow down a different path, or flow down 2 paths at the same time?

I can't wait till college is over so I can get home and look things over and see if I'm thinking nonsense or what.

[WVaTom]

not deep ones unless looking for flint.maybe if there is flint but it is covered over? did dig shallow ones though. in South America they did for irragation.

[chicken_little]

ok.

I was thinking about it some more, and there are no trees growing in it. only on the rim. So, it could have been recently dug out by a farmer I guess, although I don't know why. I'll definatly look into it when I get home.

[Metalman]

alot of test holes were dug looking for gold ,,and other mineral deposits, is it possible that is what you are seeing ? any placer gold operations in your area ?



Rick

[chicken_little]

not that I know of

[WVaTom]

A couple of folks on here have very good luck finding artifacts in creeks. It is always worth taking a look at. Good luck. You will be hooked after finding your first artifact. Try the book,"Arrowheads & Stone Artifacts". by C.G.Yeager.

[chicken_little]

I've looked a couple times with no luck. Its a small creek, probly varying between 15 and 20 feet accross, so all the gravel bars are small. I have only found a poor quality flint adz/celt or whatever you call it. I did find a couple grinding and hammer stones on top of the bank one year though. I will always be looking from now on though...everytime the water level rises i'll be down there.

Thanks, I will check out that book.

[PAPPY]

THE PIT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE BY A PREVIOUS LAND OWNER OR THE OWNER BEFORE THEM. COULD YOU CHECK AT THE COUTHOUSE WITH THE DEEDS OFFICE AND FIND OUT WHO THE PREVIOUS LAND OWNERS WERE AND GO FROM THERE?...PAPPY