Table of Contents
What is Mystery Hill?
Mystery Hill is a location in North Salem, New Hampshire and is home to an archaeological oddity. On the top of Mystery Hill is what is known as America’s Stonehenge. America’s Stonehenge gets its name from the well-known Stonehenge in Europe due to its strange stone formations. The formations are unknown in origin/purpose and are still eluding archaeologists to this day.
There are many claims about where the formations came from and who built them, however, the resounding pseudoarchaeological claims are that America’s Stonehenge is an ancient site celebrating Old World religions, ancient holidays and sacrificial rituals. The site spans roughly 30 acres, with a relatively small main area. Surrounding the main area are various pathways that seem to hold astronomical and calendarial significance.
The main area houses what is believed to be a ritual center used during the supposed occupation of this area by Old World civilizations. Shown below, the site contains 8 sectioned areas, many of which are believed to have religious significance. In an expanded view of the site, there are various paths intersecting and leading off. Those paths are believed to have calendarial significance. Whether the site was used as a sacrificial site, or a calendarial observatory, or both, is the subject of many fringe websites, books, and articles.
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Discovery
Part of the reason why America’s Stonehenge is shrouded in mystery is that of its unusual discovery. Unlike many archaeological sites, the apparent significance of the structures at the site were mostly ignored until the mid-1900s. The earliest known record of inhabitance at the site is by Jonathan Pattee who lived there beginning around 1825 (Gilbert, 415). Jonathan built his house on the southeast portion of the site. To build his house, Jonathan Pattee had to move stones and quarry from the existing stones. Much of the area he built on top of has lost its archaeological value.
Jonathan Pattee used the chambers as storage (Gilbert, 418). Unfortunately, Jonathan Pattee was ignorant of the significance of the stone structures. It is believed he dismantled or allowed the dismantling of the stone buildings originally there and used them like a stone quarry for building the sewers in Lawrence, MA (Berlitz). With the waste from his garbage and other alterations to the site, archaeological work in the area takes more time as excavators must sift through the dirt and figure out whether artifacts are trash or treasure.
In 1936, the land came under the ownership of William Goodwin. Goodwin was a true believer of the theory that Culdee Monks from Ireland had settled around the Salem area long ago. Goodwin believed that the strange stone structures were the work of the monks who built this site as a monastery for their religion. Goodwin thought he must undo the changes Jonathan Pattee made to the site. To reconstruct the “original” layout of the monastery, Goodwin and supporters moved many of the stone structures and quarried the site until they were satisfied they had reproduced the original layout (Starbuck, 2006). Their efforts would be what leads to the site being such a controversial place today.
Then, in 1956, Rodger Stone bought the land. Stone began to charge money to see the supposed astrological markers and sacrificial stones (Fitzgerald). Despite using the site as a cash-grab opportunity, the Stone family has done a lot of work to keep America’s Stonehenge preserved. The Stone family has always welcomed researchers and are actively excavating new portions of the site. They have a long-time assistant and researcher, Pat Hume, a former president of the New Hampshire Archaeological Society, who helps with restoration and research of the site. As of 2018, Dennis Stone is the current president of America’s Stonehenge (Stone).
Pseudoarchaeological Narrative
There are many theories as to the origin of America’s Stonehenge. In his efforts to prove his theories right, William Goodwin destroyed much of the archaeological evidence that we could have used today to debunk the mystery of Mystery Hill. Fortunately, the Stone family currently in possession of America’s Stonehenge is working to preserve the site so tourists can enjoy it and researchers can debunk the dubious claims about the site’s origin.
One of the first theories was proposed by William Goodwin. Goodwin compiled his theory and sources in his 1946 book, The Ruins of Great Ireland in New England. In his book, Goodwin explains his theory, stating that the true origins of the site are from a colony of Culdee Monks from Ireland, who built the site as a monastery around 1000 AD (Goodwin, 95). Goodwin’s theory is relatively tame. He believed that what some today call the “sacrificial altar” was just a wine press for making the wine used in worship. There may have been an animal sacrifice or two, but according to Goodwin, these sacrifices contrasted in nature and purpose with the human sacrifices performed by the Algonquin Indians (Goodwin, 95).
In his book, Goodwin describes the actions of Native Americans in the region as fiendish and barbaric. According to him, the monastery could not have been the work of a cultish and savage society (Goodwin). Here, we see the start of a narrative that has plagued archaeology in North America for centuries: the discrediting of the works and cultures of Native Americans. While Goodwin did document excavation of the site with photographs, his work is largely ignored due to the fact that he altered the site to fit the narrative of his theory.
The theory proposed by William Goodwin did catch the interest of other “archaeological researchers.” One popular tangent of Goodwin’s theory comes from the late Dr. Barry Fell, a Harvard professor of marine biology and amateur epigrapher. Like Goodwin, Fell believed the site was the work of an ancient Old World society that came to the New World across the Atlantic long before Christopher Columbus. Barry Fell investigated the site in the mid-1970s after the Robert Stone came into possession of the site.
At this time, not much research had been done yet. However, Fell notes that a particular rock structure is encapsulated by a tree root which, after carbon dating, appears to have been planted before the 1700s and before Jonathan Pattee took ownership of the land (Fell, 90). After visiting the site, Fell came across a tablet in the America’s Stonehenge museum that was discovered by his colleague James Whittall. Fell examined the tablet and discovered that the carvings were a dedication to the Phoenician god Baal.
Fell took interest in this site from then on and wanted to see if there were more religious markings. In 1975, Barry Fell returned to America’s Stonehenge. While there, Robert Stone made an alarming discovery. In the same chamber the original inscribed tablet was found, Robert Stone uncovered another inscription. Upon examination, Fell determined the inscription, “B-B-L,” was actually Ogam script, and taken to mean “Bi Bel” or “Dedicated to Bel” (Fell, 90). Bel is the Celtic sun god and bears a close resemblance to the Phoenician sun god Baal. (Fell, 91). Miraculously, Barry Fell began to find numerous Celtic and Phoenician inscription across the New England area.
It is Barry Fell’s theory that around 800-600 B.C. the Goidelic Celts had built the stone structures found around New England, and that the Phoenician people were frequent visitors and worshippers at the temples (Fell, 91). In his book, Barry Fell goes on to describe his evidence for the populating of the New World by the Phoenician peoples. Barry Fell’s arguments are used by many fringe theorists today, mainly to support the claim that America’s Stonehenge was actually a sacrificial ritual site used by Phoenicians and Celts.
One of the most popular theories by extreme fringe pseudoarchaeological believers is that the main site was used as a place for sacrifice. These theorists claim the large flat grooved stone is a sacrificial table where a human or animal would be sacrificed (SidheWolf, Krystek). One of the structures, known as the Oracle Chamber, was used by Oracles to project their voice to the crowd during a sacrifice. The Oracle Chamber has an opening that goes underneath the sacrificial altar and out, which could create the effect of a divine being speaking through the sacrifice (SidheWold, Krystek). In addition, they believe the many stones surrounding the main site are calendarial markers (SidheWold, Krystek). In this regard, those theorists may be correct, as the surrounding stones do seem to form astronomical alignments (Gage).
Deconstruction
William Goodwin’s theory that the Culdee Monks from Ireland colonized and established the site is major hooey. Firstly, altering an archaeological site to fit a theory is a horribly irresponsible way to go about proving said theory. Secondly, Goodwin gathers artifacts he believes proves the monks used the site for religious purposes. While it may be true that artifacts found are religious in nature, it is grasping at straws to say those particular artifacts were from Irish monks and not a native religious society. Fortunately, even today his work is discredited by fringe theorists and archaeologists alike.
Barry Fell’s Celtic and Phoenician theory is also riddled with holes. In his book America B.C., Fell outlines his theory of how Celtics and Phoenicians sailed to the New World long ago. Barry Fell’s description of the events that took place at America’s Stonehenge plays out like a movie. Influenced by his belief about the Celtics and Phoenicians, Fell concludes the random markings on the wall of the chamber and on the stone tablet are dedications to Celtic and Phoenician deities. However, blinded by ignorance, Fell misses the fact that the markings on the stones could easily be from tooling, tree roots, or from farming equipment such as a plow.
Hardly any scientific method is used to test his hypothesis on the origin of the strange markings on the stones. In addition, the two stones discussed are the only pieces of evidence found at America’s Stonehenge that might support his theory. If Celtics and Phoenicians did, in fact, use the site, surely there would be more evidence supporting their inhabitance and especially their travel. No evidence has been found in Iceland, Greenland, or North America that would support the idea that Celtics used the islands to come to America and raise colonies (Gage).
The theories proposed by fringe pseudoarchaeology believers that the site was used for animal or human sacrifice are shaky at best. One of the major fallacies is that those proponents forget the fact that America’s Stonehenge has been altered all throughout its recent history, up until about 50 years ago. Both Jonathan Pattee and William Goodwin altered the site. The layout seen today could have easily been the work of either individual. Also, these fringe theorists rely on the theory proposed by Barry Fell to be true, which evidence shows it to be not.
A few other theories as to the site have been proposed, such as the site was used as a cider making facility, or a soap making facility. The large flat slab appears to resemble a slab used in the making of both cider and lye for soap. However, careful investigation of the groove layout, the location of the slab, the height of the slab, and the carving method of the groove indicates the stone slab could not have been used for either of these purposes. The methods of cider pressing and lye making are well documented, and neither of these methods matches with the slab found at America’s Stonehenge (Gage).
Works Cited
- Berlitz, Charles. Mysteries from Forgotten Worlds. New York, Dell, 1973, pp. 143-144.
- Fell, Barry. America B.C.: Ancient Settlers in the New World. New York, Pocket Books, 1978.
- Fitzgerald, Brian. “Archaeology professor debunks claims for ancient rock structures as pseudoscientific fallacy.” B.U. Bridge, vol. 5, no. 21, 1 Feb. 2002.
- Gage, James E, and Mary E Gage. “Cider Press Theory.” Mystery Hill (America’s Stonehenge) New Hampshire, 2018, www.mysteryhillnh.info/html/cider-press-theory.html.
- Gilbert, Edgar. History of Salem, N.H. Concord, Rumford Printing Co., 1907.
- Goodwin, William Brownell. The Ruins of Great Ireland In New England: by William B. Goodwin. Boston, Meador Publishing Company, 1946.
- Krystek, Lee. “Mystery Hill: America’s Stonehenge?” The UnMuseum – Mystery Hill (America’s Stonehenge), The UnMuseum, 1997, www.unmuseum.org/mysthill.htm.
- SidheWolf, Cerridwen. “Americas Stonehenge.” Americas Stonehenge, VeryFaery.com, www.veryfaery.com/AmStonehenge/map.html.
- Starbuck, David R. The Archeology of New Hampshire: Exploring 10,000 Years in the Granite State. Univ. Press of New England, 2006.
- Stone, Dennis. “Research Blog.” America’s Stonehenge: Home, 2018, www.stonehengeusa.com/blog.html.
