I had a similar situation back in 1984 in Caithness, in the far north-east
of Scotland. In a survey of an estate, we came across some very enigmatic
drystone structures along with the expected prehistoric and historic
remains. We recorded them with due diligence, but were unable to identify
them. Quite by chance, we got talking to an old lady in her mid eighties
who still lived in an old farmhouse that had yet to be replaced by a modern
breezeblock building, and she was able to tell us that she and her brothers
had built these structures as children before WWI. Having little in the way
of toys, they had played with what was available. The play had an obvious
learning element to it, as they were learning and practicing building
techniques used by their parents, and which they would themselves have used
as they grew up. The result was a set of structures that, had I encountered
them now when the elderly lady has been dead for 20 years, I would have
labelled as prehistoric ritual sites of a type peculiar to this part of
Caithness (which is peculiar at the best of times).
Iain
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ron May
Sent: 08 August 2007 06:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: the Kid Factor influence on artifacts (etc)
The Kid Factor is always a problem. During a survey of property overlooking
Interstate 5 and the San Elijo Lagoon, my crew found and diligently
mapped-in
an alignment of small cobbles (overgrown with bushes) that we could never
be
certain of the source. Since it was near a 7,000 year old prehistoric site,
but also on a cattle ranch that dated back to the 1820s, we realized just
about anyone could have created it. Better safe than sorry, we filled out a
California Department of Parks & Recreation form on the feature and the
Lead
Agency preserved it right along with the Coastal Sage Scrub biological
habitat.
Thirty years later, I still wonder if a couple of seven year olds did not
just
create the thing. But then the notion crosses my mind, if two children did
it
7,000 years ago, would it make a difference?
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
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