Hey guys, I'm new to posting, but have checked out this site quite a bit. I'm not sure how to post pictures, but will try to figure it out. Yesterday I was planting a tree and came across what I believe might be an earth oven. It appears to be obviously man made. All the rocks are flat and stacked, with a clay/mud used as mortar. I was tempted to keep digging, but decided to take a few photos, document, and plant the tree like I intended. I guess I can always go back.

OK, I realize this isn't the right way to do it, but I created a Shutterfly album with the pictures I took. If you just double click the shown image, it will launch the slideshow...you don't need a Shutterfly account to view. I know you can't see much in the pictures, but let me know what you think. There's no telling how big this thing is, I seem to have come down right in the middle of it....there is still rock at the bottom, so I didn't get all the way through it.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbtWTZq0aNGRN

Probably historic instead of ancient..I forgot there is a difference. There is only cedar mulch on top of the landscape cloth. The more I read about earth ovens, I don't think that's what it is. Maybe you are right, it could be a fire pit. I might have to start excavating further out to see where it starts, since it seems as if I came down in the middle of it. I don't know, it's kind of bizarre. Yes, there is a lot of history in the area. This location is on a hill/bluff close to where a small creek converges into another larger creek. I have found many tools, pieces, and a few decent points back in the day. I know of some sites in the area, and I kinda figured my property was once a camp site based just on geography.

It could be an old outhouse foundation.

If I was digging that is what I would find. I am always digging up crap.

Seriously? An outhouse foundation, or are you joking? I actually had a thought that it might be some sort of foundation.

No joking from me!

If it is an outhouse foundation, think of all the pooters waiting to be dug up!

Gotta remember, in the old days people threw their bottles in the crapper. Might dig up something worth some $$$$$$. Seen some of those old bottles worth hundreds of bucks.

Have you tried running a metal detector around the area?

Every thing can be found. Guns bags of gold pocket watches and anything else people had in there pockets.


Just like Ipods and Cell Phones today. We all must know someone who has dropped a phone in the terlet.

So this would be an 'ol cowboy outhouse, not a Native American crapper? I figured indians preferred the bush. No, I haven't run a metal detector, don't have one. It's on my "to get" list though. I will just have to do some more excavating when I can get around to it to see if I can get a better idea of it's size.

If it was an outhouse foundation, then there would have to be a hole somewhere in it. Where I dug, it was just solid, stacked rock once I got down about a foot. I don't know, I'll have to do some more research on the outhouse theory. Given that this is right off a hill/bluff, it's pretty rocky soil to be digging too far down.


I ran across this article on an old outhouse: http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/130-year-old-outhouses-treasure-trove-for-artifacts/offbeat-news

Now you got me thinking Flat stacked rocks? Could also be some old time burial.

Leonard, your back!

Kinda not much time left anymore!

Leonards last guestimate is very plausable but the mortar use hints it cant be very ancient.

After the metal detector test, what about just breaking down a piece of the mortar
to get an idea of the original binding agregate composition, like straw, or fine sand [ from Home Depot ]

The mortar is just clay, and seems to be darker and out of place from the surrounding dirt. The clay was between every rock.