Ceremonial Stonework: The Enduring Native American Presence on the Land

Documentary photographer Markham Starr will present an illustrated talk on the ceremonial stonework left behind by the indigenous population that occupied New England for 12,000 years.

Native Americans built nearly two dozen distinct types of structures in our area, ranging from cairns to stone serpent effigies, and these spiritual offerings remain standing in now long abandoned woods. While Native American stonework is widely recognized out west and to the south, New England’s stonework remains obscure, having blended back into the woods. This presentation, drawn from the book by the same name, comes from photographs of over 50,000 objects and ceremonial sites in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Time: Sunday, July 16, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via zoom

Reception to follow.

Some in-person talks end up being over subscribed, sign up in advance recommended for people attending in person. Call 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net to reserve a seat.

Markham Starr is a documentary photographer living in Connecticut. His goal has been to preserve something of the working cultures of New England, now rapidly disappearing. He has largely focused on commercial fishermen, but has also documented such things as the last family dairy farms in his home town, the closing of the last sardine cannery in America, traditional agricultural fairs throughout New England, and historic barns. The photographs he takes and interviews are turned into books for distribution. His work has been featured in magazines such as LensWork, The Sun, Vermont Magazine, Rhode Island Monthly, Edible Rhody, and Yankee Magazine, and the photographs from his major projects have been selected for inclusion in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress.