Science News Hubb
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Science News
  • Technology
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Science News
  • Technology
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
Science News Hubb
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News

The oldest scaled-down drawings of actual structures go back 9,000 years

admin by admin
May 18, 2023
in Science News

Two large, engraved stones found in the Middle East display the oldest known building plans drawn to scale, researchers say.

One carved depiction covers part of a rectangular stone found at a Jordanian campsite dating to about 9,000 years ago. Two other engravings were made roughly 8,000 years ago on a boulder discovered at the base of a cliff in Saudi Arabia.

Carvings on these stones depict nearby desert kites, massive structures once used to capture animal herds, scientists report May 17 in PLOS ONE. Desert kites consist of stone walls up to five kilometers long that narrow into large enclosures surrounded by pits where hunters trapped animals, such as gazelles and deer (SN: 4/18/11). Kite depictions at the two sites closely resemble the shape, layout and proportions of desert kites found close by, archaeologist Rémy Crassard and colleagues say.

Scale drawings etched in rock may have served as maps that helped hunters plan strategies for driving animal herds into specific desert kites, the scientists report. These engravings might also have been blueprints for building desert kites, or public displays of their makers’ ability to transfer large, 3-D structures onto small, flat surfaces.

A rectangular stone found at a Jordanian site (left) contains a roughly 9,000-year-old engraving (shown illustrated in outline at right) that accurately portrays the shape and proportions of a nearby desert kite.SEBAP and R. Crassard et al/PLOS ONE 2023

As farming and animal domestication took root in parts of the Middle East, regional hunting groups that built desert kites to trap wild animal herds maintained a special regard for massive hunting structures, says Crassard, of the French National Center for Scientific Research in Lyon.

Other ancient maps and structural plans, intended as scaled-down drawings, date to about 4,300 years ago in Mesopotamia. Those depictions, Crassard says, were not as accurate as the newly discovered desert kite engravings.

Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ

Bruce Bower

Bruce Bower has written about the behavioral sciences for Science News since 1984. He writes about psychology, anthropology, archaeology and mental health issues.

This article was supported by readers like you.

Our mission is to provide accurate, engaging news of science to the public. That mission has never been more important than it is today.

As a nonprofit news organization, we cannot do it without you.

Your support enables us to keep our content free and accessible to the next generation of scientists and engineers. Invest in quality science journalism by donating today.



Source link
Previous Post

Stone Age blueprints are the oldest architectural plans ever found

Next Post

Resolving Discrepancies in Mouse and Human Autoimmunity Studies

Next Post

Resolving Discrepancies in Mouse and Human Autoimmunity Studies

Recommended

Rats Are Finally Gone from This Vulnerable Island

May 13, 2023

Did Neanderthals Eat Seafood? Neanderthals Cooked and Ate Crab Off the Coast of Portugal

February 21, 2023

Don't miss it

Science News

These ants build tall nest hills to help show the way home

June 1, 2023
Science News

Junk food diet may disrupt sleep by altering brain activity

June 1, 2023
Science News

New technique could probe the heart of powerful solar storms

June 1, 2023
Technology

Climate Change Is Escalating California’s Wildfires

June 1, 2023
Technology

The Surprising Truth About the Skip in Your Step

June 1, 2023
Technology

Nanoplastic Ingestion Causes Neurological Deficits

June 1, 2023

© Science News Hubb All rights reserved.

Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Science News
  • Technology
  • Contact us

Newsletter Sign Up

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Science News
  • Technology
  • Contact us

© 2022 Science News Hubb All rights reserved.