The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-28
Notes of the Castleton Normal
School Scientific Club.
ANCIENT VILLAGE OF oAsrLEroN


A plain situated north of Hydeville and
extending to the southern shore of Lake
Bomoseen has long been known as the SIN
dian fields" This name came from the
fact that many stone implements have been
found in that locality By those Who worked
the soil. Evidences were not wanting that
the race Of human beings inhabiting this
region got their living by bunting, fishing
and tilling the soil. But the vast extern Of
this village and the large number of its III
habitants have never come TO be appreci-
ated until The matter was more thoroughly
Investigated by this scientific club. ANA
teur collectors have been carrying off i'm
plements for many years past, but there
are many left on the ground for future ex-
plorers. Within the past few days seventy
five specimens have been fonnd, many of
them throwing light upon the character and
occupation of this prehistoric race who left
their implements on the site of their decay
ing villages. This collection includes ar
row and spear points, peslles, hoes, fleshers,
wheistones, polishee, heating stones, fire
lighters, charms, stone records or pictures,
hammers, tomshawks, chisels, and several
others whose use has not yet been deter
mined.
1t is coDjectured that this village mus!
have contained more inhabitants than the
whole town contains at the present time.
The plains around Lake Bomoseen and
along Cas.leton river were cultivated to
support this multitude. The vast forests
on the surrounding hills were devoted to
game. The waters of Bomoseen furnished
fish. Who knows but what they had more
stringent fish and game laws than Vermont
now has ? And did one of their chief med
icine men advocate the adoption of these
laws before their august assembly? Did
this nation drink lager beerl And did The
wise men from the east (Rutland) come
over with their test tubes and acohoame-
tiers and pronounce their drinks containing
only five or six per cent of alcohol to be
Notwithstanding.
This race lighted their fires by means of
a fire drill. Five specimens of stones are
in the clubs collection, recently picked up,
which have been used for this purpose. A
round hole was worn into the stone by a
rapidly revolving stick, the friction be-
tween the end of the stick and the stoRe
was sufficient to ignite sponk. Seven holes
were counted in one stone.
The method of boiling water or cooking
by means of boiling was to heat flint or
sand stones to high temperature and
throw them into the water which was prob
ably contained in log followed out with
stone axes and gouges. These stones have
become fractured by the sudden cooling, SO
that few are found larger than the fist.
Most of them, too, turn red by oxidation OF
the iron they contain. These stones are
so numerous on the Bomoseen plains thai
IL the whole were collected into one pile
they would weigh fifty tons.
But little pottery has been found in this
locality. Abundant specimens of syenite
from which feldspar was obtained have
been found. Shells of unios from the lake
were probably burnt TO make lime of, as
samples are scattered about the plains.
This community was so large that II hac
several professional arrow makers who
wee constantly employed and their shop'
we're located in different portions Of the
village Chips can be picked up by the
bushel on the site of an old shop.
This village must have been very ancient
as we have several dates to lead us to thii
conclusion. The jasper fragments
used by them and lef upon the grounC
have become very deeply weather beaten
{ II will be understood that itIequres Ions
time TO change the appearance of jaspel
when exposed to tho weather, and Ia ordel
to effect these fragments so deeply mus
require centuries.
, After the downfall Of this village a for
est OF pines sprung up on the ruins; on
hundred years ago or few years less
these pines were cut down, their stump
still undecayed, will number five or siI
hundred annual rings. BY this datum