Rock Pile Complex #1
Trackrock Archaeological Area (9UN367)
Union County, GA
| Track Rock Gap is best known for its soapstone petroglyphs, but on a ridge across the road is a complex of stone piles, walls, and terraces. The site became controversial in 2011, due to a suggestion that it was a Mayan colony. Having seen many Mayan sites, I'd say the chances of this are slim to none, and that someone has an overactive imagination. Regardless, limited archaeological study has yielded some dates as far back as 2000 years old, so parts of the site undoubtedly have some early Native American origins. The area is similar to other stone pile/mound complexes found throughout north Georgia. Many of these can be at least partially attributed to land clearing practices of early settlers. The walls here differ from the stone wall-fences typically found in areas of New England. They vary in size, with most being less than 60 feet in length, although a few are longer. The majority of these walls follow the contour of the steep hillsides, in the manner of terraces, often appearing in parallel rows across draws and other shallow water drainages. |
