Well, I was hoping to be able to put this post in the Artifact
section, but since I didn't find anything I'm not sure where
to put it. (I'm sure y'all will have some suggestions on that, tho.
)
Actually, this is an area I've been wanting to walk for some
time now, and after spending the day indoors Saturday
watching Hurricane Irene blow slowly by, I decided Sunday
morning would be a good time to check it out. It is the new
Hwy 401 By-Pass they are building around Rolesville, NC.
I didn't have high hopes for finding much along this stretch,
having checked the area out in the past and not finding
much, but I hate to pass up a chance of looking at some
fresh dirt! And I really hate it when I don't and then later,
after it's all covered with asphalt and buildings, wondering
what might have been there and wishing I did.
Anyway, I was looking for the two A's, Artifacts and Amethyst.
The walk began on the ridge across the creek that's at the
bottom of the ridge I'm standing on for this pic.
This new By-Pass cuts across the Rolesville Batholith.
A batholith is a Granite Pluton where the ground above the
dome has been eroded away and the granite is now visible
on the surface. Some will argue that the Rolesville Granite
Dome does not meet all the requirements to be considered
a Batholith, but I have always heard it called such and am
content to continue. The granite covers 5 or 6 counties
north and east of Wake County and surface outcrops are
common throughout this area.
This next pic is of a catch basin above the creek and then
a pic of the channel to the catch basin. In the second pic,
I hope you can see the solid rock under the earth that has
been recently washed into the channel.
Here's another pic of the rock at the surface. This is a
drainage "ditch" on the side of the road cut. The pile of
rock used to slow erosion is sitting on top of the bedrock
and the bedrock is exposed to the right and back around the
trees in this pic.
Here's a shot from behind those same trees.
There are several plants that are indigenous to the
Rolesville Batholith. Although they are not blooming at this
time, I think the moss may be unique to this area and I've
always thought it was pretty unique to see cactus growing
out of moss.
Back on top and still a ways to go.
Most of the artifact concentrations I have found in this area
have been close to the highway. It seems the natives used
the same overland route between the Neuse River and the
Little River, ten or so miles to the north of the Neuse, as we
do today. I have always called this a "no-mans-land".
There are many prehistoric sites along the Neuse River,
and then again along the Little River. The two being a fairly
easy one day walk from each other did not necessitate
having to stop and camp in between.
Here is a flat area near water that I thought might show
me something.
One thing the natives did not need to look far for was
hammerstones. Round rocks abound on these ancient
paleoscarps of the Atlantic Ocean, which are much more
noticeable from the Fall Line east into the Coastal Plain.
We are just a few miles west of that here, but the round
water-worn rocks are still easily found.
And I'm not the first to be here. A Flake!
Two More!
And that was it.
Oh well, Hunting ain't Finding, and just because you don't
find anything is no reason to spoil the walk.
Progress............
End of the road and a look back at where we've been.
Maybe we'll find something next time,
Joe