I am so chuffed!

[kayre]

So, I'm researching a member of the Brothertown Indians, and laboring my way through a scholar's dissertation on their cemeteries. The author notes that all the gravestones in the NY Brothertown cemeteries line up, but the orientation is odd-- neither east/west, the usual Christian orientation, nor head to the southwest, a usual native custom; but slightly south of east. Perhaps because I live in the area, the diagram he posted gave me an idea, and I wrote to him.

"Sir, I am researching the life of Thomas Commuck, and reading your Becoming Brothertown with great interest. Something struck me as I read the chapter about the burial sites in New York. I hope you will forgive an audacious question: Could they have been oriented to face towards their homelands in Rhode Island and Massachusetts? That could account for the not-quite-east orientation.

Your book is helping me fill out my understanding of Commuck, and I am grateful."

He wrote back! And he doesn't think I'm crazy!

"Dear Carol,

Thanks for your kind email. This sounds like an interesting possibility. I would have to have a closer look at the data since it’s been more than a decade now, but in general, I think it is feasible. Good thinking. All the best, C---- C-----"

Comments

[sine_nomine]

Love this on so many levels! Go you!

[amaebi]

While academe is plagued by hierarchical competition, scholars do love dialogue. And-- it just occurred to me that you might not think of yourself this way-- you are a scholar.

[ranunculus]

I'm seconding the idea of you being a scholar.

[kayre]

Thank you!

[kayre]

Thank you!

[hitchhiker]

that's awesome!