Who doesn't like an enigma, an unknown site that just begs to be figured out? Though half the fun is never really knowing.
Lying between Syria and Saudi Arabia are the remains of thousands of ancient geoglyphs. Aerial photography and satellite mapping over Jordan has unearthed truly fascinating designs across desert plains. While there is a variety of size (25m to 70m diameter) and design, the core repeated motif is that of a circle with internal radiating spokes.
Dating is problematic for such sites, but is is believed that that are at least 2,000 years old. Comparisons have been made to the famous Nazca lines, but those of Jordan are more ancient and more numerous.
These circles or wheels are thought to be part of a larger stone landscape which includes kites (for funneling animals), pendants (lines of cairns that run from burials) and other structures. The practicalities of such structures are not always immediately obvious.
Without excavated data on the sites, it is difficult to determine exact details of age and function.
Comment:
While I haven't studied these at all, it seems possible that they could have been settlement sites (maybe temporary ones). I also believe that the comparison with the Nazca lines is not very helpful, if anything, it somewhat impedes independent analysis. But that's journalism for you, it sounds juicer if they can link it to a more famous site.
For more resources from the researches, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaame
For more images, click here: http://www.livescience.com/16045-aerial-photos-mysterious-stone-structures.html
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/15/scitech/main20106680.shtml
Lying between Syria and Saudi Arabia are the remains of thousands of ancient geoglyphs. Aerial photography and satellite mapping over Jordan has unearthed truly fascinating designs across desert plains. While there is a variety of size (25m to 70m diameter) and design, the core repeated motif is that of a circle with internal radiating spokes.
Dating is problematic for such sites, but is is believed that that are at least 2,000 years old. Comparisons have been made to the famous Nazca lines, but those of Jordan are more ancient and more numerous.
These circles or wheels are thought to be part of a larger stone landscape which includes kites (for funneling animals), pendants (lines of cairns that run from burials) and other structures. The practicalities of such structures are not always immediately obvious.
Without excavated data on the sites, it is difficult to determine exact details of age and function.
Comment:
While I haven't studied these at all, it seems possible that they could have been settlement sites (maybe temporary ones). I also believe that the comparison with the Nazca lines is not very helpful, if anything, it somewhat impedes independent analysis. But that's journalism for you, it sounds juicer if they can link it to a more famous site.
For more resources from the researches, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaame
For more images, click here: http://www.livescience.com/16045-aerial-photos-mysterious-stone-structures.html
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/15/scitech/main20106680.shtml
