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How to build something that lasts 10k years

bbc.com

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Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#11

Post by kodz4 »

onion2k wrote: post #3
newman8r wrote: post #2

the lazy man's way to make something that will last thousands(or more) years: dry stone masonry. I've built a few walls, they're not going anywhere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_stone

The mechanical stability of a drystone wall is amazing, but the political stability of the border it represents is very, very fragile. It won't fall over but someone might knock it down. That's the problem the Long Now clock might have solved - it's been marketed as a symbol of human persistence. People are being persuaded that it's important. We maintain our symbolic icons. That political stability is what might kee…

I live close to this 1000 year old temple - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadisvara_Temple,_Thanjavur...

You have to walk through a 100 foot gate of granite just to get in. It blows the mind everytime I walk through at the imagination and ambition to build such a thing. And then inside things are even more breathtaking.

It's in daily use for worship and rituals by thousands of people even today. It has seen 8-12 different kingdoms come and go. Not just Hindus but Christians and Muslims administered the area at one time or another.

In addition to Stone what you need is Beauty.

People universally for mysterious reasons recognize Beauty. If it's beautiful it's going to be protected and taken care off. People will happily die to do it.

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#13

Post by aetherspawn »

ptah wrote: post #9

If you can somehow come up with a way to keep time using a forest, it would be way easier

That’s a really interesting idea.

If you plant a tree that lasts for 10,000 years (is there such?), I wonder if you can use its height or the shadow it casts (trunk thickness) to measure time.

Of course, someone would just come and kill it. Unless you can make it undesirable to get close to it.. for example fill it with thousands of snakes and spiders.

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#15

Post by onion2k »

kodz4 wrote: post #11
onion2k wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mechanical stability of a drystone wall is amazing, but the political stability of the border it represents is very, very fragile. It won't fall over but someone might knock it down. That's the problem the Long Now clock might have solved - it's been marketed as a symbol of human persistence. People are being persuaded that it's important. We maintain our symbolic icons. That political stability is what might kee…

I live close to this 1000 year old temple - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadisvara_Temple,_Thanjavur... You have to walk through a 100 foot gate of granite just to get in. It blows the mind everytime I walk through at the imagination and ambition to build such a thing. And then inside things are even more breathtaking. It's in daily use for worship and rituals by thousands of people even today. It has seen 8-12 d…

That's an amazing monument. I live 30s walk from this 1350 year old church - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter%27s_Church,_Monkwearm... - it's slightly less ambitious but still a beautiful place, and incredible to think people have been gathering there for that long.

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#17

Post by arethuza »

newman8r wrote: post #2

the lazy man's way to make something that will last thousands(or more) years: dry stone masonry. I've built a few walls, they're not going anywhere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_stone

5000+ year old dry stone houses complete with dry stone furniture:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skara_Brae

Edit: And if you want to go that extra step with your dry stone walls, melt them in place:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitrified_fort

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#18

Post by vageli »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #6
onion2k wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mechanical stability of a drystone wall is amazing, but the political stability of the border it represents is very, very fragile. It won't fall over but someone might knock it down. That's the problem the Long Now clock might have solved - it's been marketed as a symbol of human persistence. People are being persuaded that it's important. We maintain our symbolic icons. That political stability is what might kee…

> We maintain our symbolic icons. Until what the symbol represents starts to conflict with political ideology; then, the symbol gets dismantled to cut people off the undesirable heritage.

> > We maintain our symbolic icons.

> Until what the symbol represents starts to conflict with political ideology; then, the symbol gets dismantled to cut people off the undesirable heritage.

Or coopted for use by the new ideology.

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#19

Post by arethuza »

onion2k wrote: post #15
kodz4 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live close to this 1000 year old temple - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadisvara_Temple,_Thanjavur... You have to walk through a 100 foot gate of granite just to get in. It blows the mind everytime I walk through at the imagination and ambition to build such a thing. And then inside things are even more breathtaking. It's in daily use for worship and rituals by thousands of people even today. It has seen 8-12 d…

That's an amazing monument. I live 30s walk from this 1350 year old church - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter%27s_Church,_Monkwearm... - it's slightly less ambitious but still a beautiful place, and incredible to think people have been gathering there for that long.

I'm not in the slightest bit religious, but I do have a fascination with all ancient buildings - religious, military, burial etc.

I guess we are lucky in the UK that the place is thick with ancient stuff of all kinds - most of it generally ignored or unknown.

e.g. The stone works on Ben Griam Beg - are the a hill fort, are they for catching deer (both seem rather odd given its location)

https://her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG9658

Re: How to build something that lasts 10k years

#20

Post by datpiff »

aetherspawn wrote: post #13
ptah wrote: post #9

If you can somehow come up with a way to keep time using a forest, it would be way easier

That’s a really interesting idea. If you plant a tree that lasts for 10,000 years (is there such?), I wonder if you can use its height or the shadow it casts (trunk thickness) to measure time. Of course, someone would just come and kill it. Unless you can make it undesirable to get close to it.. for example fill it with thousands of snakes and spiders.

>If you plant a tree that lasts for 10,000 years (is there such?), I wonder if you can use its height or the shadow it casts (trunk thickness) to measure time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Increment_borer

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