Giant Archaeological Trove Found Via Google Earth 126
Posted
by
Soulskill
from the who-needs-to-go-outside-anyway dept.
from the who-needs-to-go-outside-anyway dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Using detailed satellite imagery available through Google Earth, Australian researchers have discovered what may be tombs that are thousands of years old in remote stretches of Saudi Arabia (abstract). 'Kennedy scanned 1240 square kilometers in Saudi Arabia using Google Earth. From their birds-eye view he found 1977 potential archaeological sites, including 1082 "pendants" — ancient tear-drop shaped tombs made of stone. According to Kennedy, aerial photography of Saudi Arabia is not made available to most archaeologists, and it's difficult, if not impossible, to fly over the nation. "But, Google Earth can outflank them," he says. Kennedy confirmed that the sites were vestiges of an ancient life — rather than vegetation or shadow - by asking a friend in Saudi Arabia, who is not an archaeologist, to drive out to two of the sites and photograph them. By comparing the images with structures that Kennedy has seen in Jordan, he believes the sites may be up to 9000 years old, but ground verification is needed."
I must not be cut out for archeology... (Score:3, Funny)
From the "confirmation photo" in TFA, all I was able to confirm is that... yes, there are rocks in Saudi Arabia.
juat one small favor (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Was it smart? (Score:4, Funny)
Exactly, now all of Saudi Arabia knows that there are potential archeological dig sites ...... somewhere in Saudi Arabia ...... near some rocks. I'd imagine the whole country is out right now digging everywhere there's rocks.
Re:Was it smart? (Score:3, Funny)
And half of them will strike oil.
-molo
Re:juat one small favor (Score:4, Funny)
How will you know if it's the ark if you don't look in it?
You won't, it will just remain both the ark and not the ark. But you can still sell it on ebay as a 50% superposition of the greatest archaeological find of all time.
Re:"Tear drop shaped structures" (Score:2, Funny)
"Dudes, you're getting excited about a pile of stones!"
Dude, It's archeology.
Re:Was it smart? (Score:2, Funny)
They understand they are dealing with Arabs.
The 'cute and distracting' one is a boy. Beloved is dangerous on the dozer. Her burka limits her vision.
Re:Was it smart? (Score:2, Funny)
More importantly, Saudi's official brand of Wahhabism dislikes anything that may be potentially idolatrous and proactively destroys historical monuments. Buildings found via excavation in Mecca have been bulldozed by royal edict.
That's because those old building had something that Saudi's officials fear. Probably birth documents saying Saudi's are all Jewish or something. One of the lost tribes. Come to think of it, they are pretty rich...