The Rape of Wayland

Abstract

The removal of loam from the grounds of the Old Mansion Inn, Wayland, Massachusetts, exposed blackened areas which were investigated by local collectors. The site was obviously a rich and unusual burial area, probably including cremations, with good possibilities for radiocarbon dating of the entire tool assemblage. Unfortunately, the site was destroyed within a very short time by children, their parents, and friends, assisted by some local collectors. Many members of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society were shocked that the collectors who participated in the looting of the site rather than protecting it for serious study were members of the Society. This incident points up the need for state and local societies to discover some way of disciplining members who do not conform to accepted standards of archaeological work.