Circle of rocks

Indians used the area around the Fort Bowie National Historic Site in southeastern Arizona for thousands of years. While based at an RV park in nearby Willcox, I visited the fort and hiked into the higher terrain looking for evidence of their occupation. On top of a grassy knoll with a panoramic view, far from any trail or fort structure, I noticed a circle of rocks. It had a diameter of about eight feet, with four rocks positioned in the center. All the rocks had settled into the ground enough to indicate they had been there a long, long time. Had the arrangement served some ceremonial function? The location in the open, exposed to the wind, seemed to rule out an old fire ring or the anchors for a shelter. I sat by the four center rocks inside the circle and had lunch. As I gazed at the surrounding canyons and cliffs, I wondered what other secrets the area had to offer.

The circle of rocks, top, was difficult to photograph because of the grass, which I was unwilling to disturb. Look carefully. The bottom photo shows the four center rocks.