Archaelological Mystery - What is it? Grave?

[TB80]

So, we have some rocks at our ranch that are arranged in a perfect rectangle. There are three different "pad sites"/arrangements and they are probably approximately 3 feet wide by 7 feet long. They are arranged end to end. Here is a picture of one and you can see a second one in the background:



Does anyone know what they are? Are they the floor of an old shed? An old grave? If so, would it be an indian grave, an old settlers grave? Any clue at all.

[birdman11]

dig it up and look, it will be a mystery until then

[TB80]

i'd rather not dig up someone's grave if at all possible.

[neskora]

please don't dig it up as it could be graves... that's what it kind of resembles... find out who your county historian is, give them a call, and they will come out and tell you

[huntinag96]

dig it up and look, it will be a mystery until then

No way I would come close to digging up that. Bad mojo for sure. Looks like a grave to me...

[oktx]

I hunted a place in jack county that had something like that. They were piles of rocks piled up about knee high and about 6 feet long. The owner told me they were graves.

[BoneDigger]

Hard to say. It certainly looks like it COULD be a grave through. Have you looked at historic aerial photography to see if there was a structure in that spot? Any engraving on any of the stones? Sometimes older maps (including old USGS topo maps, will mark a sight as "grave." Another option is to talk to the local landowners and see if they know anything about the area.

If they are graves, they would most likely be historic in nature and not Indian.

Birdman11, I certainly would not recommend digging it up if he thinks it might be a grave.

There are numerous possibilities, including some kind of erosion control or feature associated with the nearby dirt road. But, just given what I have, my first thought is grave.

Todd

[Bud]

I have seen several at my uncles place. All my life I couldn't wait for an archeological team to come look. I think I finally figured it out. About forty years ago my dad dozed a tank out for my uncle. The rocks came up in huge perfectly rectangular pieces. About three foot wide by eight foot long and a foot and a half deep with ridges all around like they were once pieced together like a puzzle. I thought it had to be a west texas stone henge or something. Then I once saw the Kickapoo creek when it was dry and saw that it is perfectly natural for rock layers to form and break uniformly. When my dad dozed it he just brought them to the surface. I think your rock was a big slab that has been exposed for a long time and has weathered and broken down. Still cool though.

Bud

[quarterback]

Bonedigger should know.

I vote graves too. Maybe some old settlers' old private cemetery but most likely not indian. Definitely don't dig them up out of respect. There has to be some history around it.

[TB80]

I have seen several at my uncles place. All my life I couldn't wait for an archeological team to come look. I think I finally figured it out. About forty years ago my dad dozed a tank out for my uncle. The rocks came up in huge perfectly rectangular pieces. About three foot wide by eight foot long and a foot and a half deep with ridges all around like they were once pieced together like a puzzle. I thought it had to be a west texas stone henge or something. Then I once saw the Kickapoo creek when it was dry and saw that it is perfectly natural for rock layers to form and break uniformly. When my dad dozed it he just brought them to the surface. I think your rock was a big slab that has been exposed for a long time and has weathered and broken down. Still cool though.

Bud

Hadn't thought about that, and this would make sense, but I just think the odds are against this happening in three spots, equal distant from eachother and all the exact same dimensions. I tend to believe they are man made, I'm just not sure of the purpose.

[Gerald G]

From the picture it looks like several rocks place close together.
It the old days, traveling caravans would lose a member and if the travelers didn`t have shovels or picks to dig the grave deep enough, they would place rocks over the shallow grave to keep the bodies from being dug up by coyotes and wolves.

Do you know of a old cross-country trail through your place?

[TB80]

From the picture it looks like several rocks place close together.
It the old days, traveling caravans would lose a member and if the travelers didn`t have shovels or picks to dig the grave deep enough, they would place rocks over the shallow grave to keep the bodies from being dug up by coyotes and wolves.

Do you know of a old cross-country trail through your place?

You are right, there are three rock "pads" placed end to end and about 15 feet apart.

I don't know of any cross-country trail. The ranch is between comfort and fredericksburg.

[pigstikr]

They look like graves to me, it could be old settlers graves from the mid 1800's. Most likely not indian graves.

[Dugie]

looks be a base for some type of feed trough, keeps them level and from washing and falling over.

obviously spread out for the animals sake.

graves make a better story though.

[TB80]

looks be a base for some type of feed trough, keeps them level and from washing and falling over.

obviously spread out for the animals sake.

graves make a better story though.

this is what i always thought, but then we had a guy who built our cabin (who i think was also a menonite (sp?)) who said that he thought they were graves. heck if i know. that's why i am asking the TBH braintrust.