Archaeologica.org

Hi

I would like to have your opinion on these two photos below. The first one was taken on a stone next to an area where a prehistoric tomb was destroyed some decades ago. It seems to have some drawings, but I would like to have your opinion.

The second picture show what it seems to be a water channel of some kind. Strange enough is that in the area there is no longer any farming activity, at least for now. I don't know if the structure is roman, but in the nearby a roman bridge and a roman oven have been found, what do you think?

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm50 ... e/rock.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm50 ... hannel.jpg

Cheers

On the first one all I can see is a couple of lines but that's not uncommon... I am one lousy art critic.

The second one, especially if there is evidence of Roman ruins in the area, could certainly be an aqueduct. For the most part these were built below ground with the famous arched structures built only to cross valleys. The Romans were very precise. A photo taken of the inside of the "trench" should show even rows of masonry which would have been lined, probably with wood, which would long ago have rotted away.

I have seen similar piles of rocks as in the second picture, when farmers clear fields and collect the rocks along the edge. These are also contructed into walls, naturally. If the rocks were used in construction, a few may show signs of having been worked.

The first picture does not look unnatural to me. Someone need to look at it up close and personal. It is interesting nontheless.

I hate to give Simcha Jacobovici any credit but he demonstrated how one can very simply and without risk to the artifact highlight any apparently man-made lines.

Throw some water on it and take another photo.

Forum Monk wrote:I have seen similar piles of rocks as in the second picture, when farmers clear fields and collect the rocks along the edge. These are also contructed into walls, naturally. If the rocks were used in construction, a few may show signs of having been worked.

Yes it looks very much like a pile of rocks dragged off a field over the years and dumped.

I think he's talking about the trench in the center rather than the rocks in the foreground. A better photo would help...especially one which looks down into the trench.

Minimalist wrote:I think he's talking about the trench in the center rather than the rocks in the foreground. A better photo would help...especially one which looks down into the trench

Indeed!

We don't know where this is taken but lots of people could have dug irrigation trenches for their fields and there are Roman ruins in a pretty steady stream from Spain to Syria on both sides of the Med. So a little more info would help.

Hi all

The pictures were taken in Portugal, Antas, about 40 Km from Lisbon.

I'll take more detailed pictures of the scenarios presented and then insert them here.

Thanks

Here's a book on Roman Portugal. Claims to list 3,000 sites which is pretty impressive even by Roman standards. Then again, they controlled "Farther Spain" for a long time.

http://www.arisandphillips.com/ap/Portugal.html

When we find here similar marks to what appears a cross on your picture we usually look further.However most of the similar marks we find are made by sharpening rock tools and are for the most part not at such an angle and are lower to the ground hope this helps.