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History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Imperial Dave on June 10, 2016, 11:55:32 AM

Title: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Imperial Dave on June 10, 2016, 11:55:32 AM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36498234

couldnt see the wood for the trees apparently or should that be the sandstone for the sand?  :)
Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Patrick Waterson on June 10, 2016, 09:52:04 PM
'Remote sensing' or taking pics by aircraft and satellite is a good way of finding the outlines of otherwise hard-to-discern structures.

The trick is to make any survey systematic, and Sarah Parcak appears to be doing just that.
Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: rodge on June 11, 2016, 07:46:19 AM
More in Cambodia from lidar:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/11/lost-city-medieval-discovered-hidden-beneath-cambodian-jungle
Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Patrick Waterson on June 11, 2016, 09:50:52 AM
That particular article includes an intriguing temple fight scene (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/11/lost-city-medieval-discovered-hidden-beneath-cambodian-jungle#img-2).  The paired participants differ in hairstyle, shield size and loincloth decoration, in addition to left-and right-handedness.  Yet both pairs use blunt weapons, round objects on the end of spearshafts; these do not appear to be weights, judging by the point at which the spear is held.  Presumably this is a ritual combat in which bloodshed is not the intention: in any event, the heavily-lipped individual crouched or seated on the right of the picture seems to be watching with never a care in the world.

Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Andreas Johansson on June 11, 2016, 10:19:55 AM
Quote from: Patrick Waterson on June 11, 2016, 09:50:52 AM
Presumably this is a ritual combat in which bloodshed is not the intention
If it's even combat - the athletic poses give me an impression of dance.
Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Erpingham on June 11, 2016, 10:39:28 AM
Quote from: Andreas Johansson on June 11, 2016, 10:19:55 AM
Quote from: Patrick Waterson on June 11, 2016, 09:50:52 AM
Presumably this is a ritual combat in which bloodshed is not the intention
If it's even combat - the athletic poses give me an impression of dance.

That was also my thought when I saw it.  A dramatic performance is also possible, depicting religious themes perhaps?
Title: Re: Petra, Jordan: Huge monument found 'hiding in plain sight'
Post by: Patrick Waterson on June 11, 2016, 04:39:37 PM
Quite conceivable: perhaps even more likely if musicians were depicted in the same scene.  I am not sure how far Cambodians blended the understood with the explicit.

In any event, probably not much use for army lists.