HISTORICAL REFERENCES - New England Region

[B100] Eugene Winter, “An Atlantic Phase Mortuary Feature at the Call Site, Billerica, MA.” Bulletin of Massachusetts Archaeological Society v. 67 no. 2 pp. 42-47 Fall 2006

Editorial Note: Feature 14 was a secondary interment cremation burial. It contained a standing stone along with cremated remains and various artifacts. Based upon the artifact assemblage the burial is identified as Atlantic Phase of the Susquehanna Tradition. Based upon this identification it is dated to 4,100 to 3,600 B.P.

“In the center of this pit was the stone slab. It was roughly triangular in shape and measured 6 inches acroos at the top and 10 inches across at the bottom. This granite slab stood upright in the center of the pit and was supported by two smaller stones at the base.” pp. 42

“Clearly, the people who built this mortuary feature were very particular about how it was constructed. Did they leave the tip og the granite slab visible? Did it serve as a marker? That we cannot know.” pp. 43

[B101] Jeremy Belknap and Jedidiah Morse, "The Report of a Committee of the Board of Correspondents of the Scots Society for Propigating Christian Knowledge, who visited the Oneida and Mohekunuh Indians in 1796." Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society... [need to get full citation]

"He regarded the Oneida Stone as a proper emblem or representative of the divinity whom he worshipped. This stone we saw. It is or a rude, unwrought shape, rather inclining to cylindrical, and of more than a hundred pounds weight. It bears no resemblance to any of the stones which are found in that country. From whence it was originally brought, no one can tell. The tradition is that it follows the nation on their removals. From it the name of the nation is derived, for Oneida signifies the upright stone. When it was set up in the crotch of a tree, the people were supposed invincible. It is now placed in an upright position on the earth, at the door of the old man's house. A stout man can carry this stone abourt 40 or 50 rods, without resting; and this is the manner in which it may be said (with the help of a little priestcraft) to follow them in their removals." pp. 14-15

[B102] W. M. Beauchamp, “Iroquois Notes,” The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 5 No. 18. (Jul - Sep, 1892) pp. 223-229.

“Most writers follow Schoolcraft in supposing that the Oneida Stone, now in a cemetery at Utica, N.Y., is the true one, but from his own account there may have been several. It is believed by some of the nation that those who went to Green Bay, took the traditional stone with them. A visitor at the Oneida Castle, in 1796, said that  a chief `regarded the Oneida Stone as a proper embelm or representative of the divinity whom he worshipped. This stone we saw, it is a rude, unwrought shape, rather inclining to cylindrical, and of more than a hundred pounds’ weight. It bears no resemblance to any of the stones which are found in that country. From whence it was originally brought no one can tell. The tradition is that it follows the nation in their removals. From it the nation is derived, for Oneida signifies the upright stone. When it was set in the crotch of a tree the people were supposed invincible. It is now placed in an upright position on the earth, at the door of the old man’s house. A stout man can carry this stone about forty ot fifty rods without resting.’ [See B101 for original source] Sir William Johnson said the Oneidas gave him, as their emblem, a stone in the crotch of a tree, and about the same time they thanked him for setting the Oneida Stone upright. [source ?]” p. 227