Geoglyph
A geoglyph (also called the geoglyph ), also known as an earth drawing or ground drawing , is a figure formed over a large area on the ground, drawn in lines or formed by streets and paths. Some geoglyphs are several hundred meters in size. Due to their size, they can often only be recognized from the air.
A scratching pattern is created by removing the dark top layer from rock, rubble or soil so that a lighter bottom layer becomes visible. The lighter areas result in the drawing of the scratch pattern. Examples of this type of geoglyph are the Nazca Lines in Peru and the Uffington White Horse in England.
Prehistoric geoglyphs
Geoglyphs can survive long periods of time under favorable climatic conditions without being erased by denudation processes. Prehistoric geoglyphs often represent animals: for example whale, horse, monkey, dog, anteater, elk, condor, hummingbird (see picture above), parrot, flamingo, frigate bird, pelican, snake, spider, lizard, dragonfly. There are also depictions of trees and flowers. Often certain meanings are associated with the image forms.
The Indian mounds in North America are mostly grave structures. In the so-called effigy mounds , animal figures are represented with geoglyphs. In Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa , there are 31 such Mounds with animal figures. Another example is the Great Serpent Mound in Ohio .
The Nazca Lines in Peru are scratches. Mostly straight lines are involved, but geometric figures (trapezoid, spiral) and numerous animal figures are also represented. Numerous theories and hypotheses have been developed on the significance of the Nazca Lines. In the foreground is the assumption of a religious meaning. But there could also be a connection with astronomy - or with underground water collection systems. A change in climate with increasing desertification could have triggered the creation of the Nazca Lines.
In the Amazon region since 1999 more than 200 geometric shapes such as circles and squares have been discovered during clearing work, many connected by straight roads. Its purpose is unclear. The human effort for their creation contradicts the previous assumption that only smaller settlements were possible in the area. The geoglyphs are spread over 250 km and are dated to the years 200–1283.
NASA satellite imagery confirmed the existence of around 260 geoglyphs in Kazakhstan in 2015 . The oldest are said to be around 8000 years old (see steppe geoglyphs ).
Modern geoglyphs
Contemporary Land Art artists have also created geoglyphs. Well-known examples are:
- the accompanying phenomenon XI on Lanzarote by Eberhard Bosslet (part of the series of architectural drawings, reforms and accompanying phenomena on the Canary Islands, beginning 1983)
- the earth symbol at Munich Airport with the name Eine Insel for the time of Wilhelm Holderied (1995)
- Desert Breath in the Sahara near El Gouna in Egypt, created by DAST. Arteam (1997)
- the Marree Man with a length of 4.5 kilometers in the outback near Marree in South Australia (discovered in 1998)
- the series Rhythms of Life by Andrew Rogers (beginning 1999), currently consisting of 51 monumental geoglyphs in 16 countries on seven continents (as of 2018)
Like all other structures on the earth's surface, geoglyphs can be used for orientation by aircraft. The world's largest compass rose on the floor of the Rogers Dry Lake was created as a geoglyph especially for the pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in California .
Crop circles are very similar to the soil drawings. However, they are not drawn directly on the ground and only have a short lifespan.
Echoes in town planning and land reclamation projects
In urban planning , figurative floor plans are occasionally chosen that are comparable to geoglyphs (“figurative urban planning”). When looking at the city map, an impression similar to that of large-format geoglyphs can arise. Even artificial islands are sometimes given a special shape.
Urban planning
- The plan of the old Inca city of Cusco is supposed to represent a lying puma . The Sacsayhuamán fortress forms the head and the main square the belly of the puma. The body of the puma is bounded by two rivers that meet at the rear end. Some researchers question this theory. She was represented by George Kubler , among others .
- For the reconstruction of the inner city of Rovaniemi in Finland, which was destroyed after the Second World War , Alvar Aalto chose the head of a reindeer with antlers as the floor plan .
Artificial islands
- The islands of the Palm Islands in Dubai are shaped like a palm tree.
- In 2007, the Netherlands discussed the project of creating an artificial island in the shape of a tulip, around 50 kilometers long.
literature
- Rudolf Drößler: Cultures from a bird's eye view . Archeology in the air . Jena / Berlin 1987.
- Viola Zetzsche: remote controlled archeology. In: Adventure archeology . 4/2005, October 14, 2005. (PDF download)
- Viola Zetzsche: A model helicopter over sunken cities. In: Ancient World . 1/2006.
- Karsten Lambers: The Geoglyphs of Palpa, Peru: Documentation, Analysis, and Interpretation. Lindensoft Verlag, Aichwald 2006, ISBN 3-929290-32-4 . ( Information about the book )
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Duden online: the geoglyph and the geoglyph
- ↑ Stanislav A. Grigoriev, Nikolai M. Menshenin: Discovery of a geoglyph on the Zjuratkul Ridge in the southern Urals antiquity.ac.uk. Coordinates: 54 ° 56 '33 " N , 59 ° 11' 32" O .
- ↑ Josleen Wilson: The Passionate Amateur's Guide to Archeology in the United States . Collier Books, New York 1980, keyword mound building .
- ^ John Roach: "Lost" Amazon Complex Found; Shapes Seen by Satellite. In: National Geographic . January 4, 2010, accessed January 2, 2018 .
- ^ Claire Bates: Lost Amazon civilization revealed after forests cleared for cattle grazing. In: Daily Mail . January 11, 2010, accessed January 2, 2018 .
- ↑ Hundreds of lines, circles and rings in Kazakhstan. In: The world . November 3, 2015, accessed January 2, 2018 .
- ↑ Desert Breath: A Monumental Land Art Installation in the Sahara Desert thisiscolossal.com, February 20, 2014
- ↑ Rhythms of Life andrewrogers.org
- ↑ Cusco: Heart of the Inka Universe website of the National Museum of the American Indian , with drawing and explanation in the video.
- ^ Mark Cartwright: Cusco Ancient History Encyclopedia, Jan. 30, 2015.
- ^ George Kubler: The Art and Architecture of Ancient America. Penguin Books, 1962, p. 314. Quotation: “The city itself between the rivers was a sacred thing, and it was likened to a puma, with the tail at the confluence of the rivers, the head at the fortress, and the body at the main plaza, surrounded by courtyard dwellings. "
- ↑ Alvar Aalto and architecture in Rovaniemi visitrovaniemi.fi
- ↑ 100,000 hectares: Netherlands are planning artificial tulip island spiegel.de, December 10, 2007.
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