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Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#21

Post by smoyer »

tokai wrote: post #15
smoyer wrote: post #13

Imagine how much more creative we'd tend to be if we didn't have television and Internet distractions! What do you do after a long day of herding livestock? Take your chert, grab a drink and carve some camels!

Preposterous. Creativity has never been more unbounded and flourishing than it is now.

I'd agreed that's true for a small percentage of the population and that the rest are consumers. For these projects, you probably had a "visionary" but it's stated that the creations were likely a community effort and maintained over time.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#23

Post by kossTKR »

OJFord wrote: post #7

The linked initial (2018) find article has more convincing photos, in my opinion: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/science/camels-sculptures... Submission from the time, not really discussed (just to save you the search): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16391610

Thanks! This picture is so much better - really shows the scale and the detail.

My intuitions and my knowledge of statistics hints that there's really no reason much, much older somewhat advanced "societies" couldn't have existed but have just not been excavated or have vanished because of porous materials.

Does anyone know of any good podcasts / books that delves into topics like this?

I've always found fringe theories of lost or "hyper-ancient" civilisations fascinating.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#24

Post by toyg »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #4
RandomWorker wrote: post #2

I find it amazing that early humans tended to make art of animals not humans. Like the cave paintings in France. It seems that early humans put the animals front and Center at some point.

They had more impact on human lives. Hunter-gatherer groups tend to be small and disparate. They don’t really have much impact on each other. But they deal with animals, on a daily. It’s not just primitive societies, either. Modern tribal groups tend to concentrate on animals and crops. When your very survival depends on knowing as much as possible about prey and draft animals, weather, etc., these topics occupy your…

> They had more impact on human lives.

Yeah, we should remember also that permanent or periodic nomadism was the norm on large swaths of the planet. Animals were obviously key to move significant numbers of people (women, children...), as well as to produce food on the go. If the camel-god says no, you're stuck in the middle of the desert, so you better keep him happy.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#25

Post by bodge5000 »

smoyer wrote: post #21
tokai wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Preposterous. Creativity has never been more unbounded and flourishing than it is now.

I'd agreed that's true for a small percentage of the population and that the rest are consumers. For these projects, you probably had a "visionary" but it's stated that the creations were likely a community effort and maintained over time.

Community projects are still a thing, they're just not as grandiose, partially to do with different priorities and restrictions (making giant rock carvings is rarely top of peoples agendas, nor top of the local councils approvals), and partially due to the fact that they look lesser due to all the other amazing things people are doing on the internet.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#26

Post by hellbannedguy »

OJFord wrote: post #7

The linked initial (2018) find article has more convincing photos, in my opinion: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/science/camels-sculptures... Submission from the time, not really discussed (just to save you the search): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16391610

Go to his people. It will make more sense.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#27

Post by 2rsf »

illwrks wrote: post #22

I was about to say they have a powerful imagination to see camels in that eroded rock... however after a quick search, there are better photos online: https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-2-000-year-old-...

Wow, this is amazing

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#28

Post by booleandilemma »

RandomWorker wrote: post #2

I find it amazing that early humans tended to make art of animals not humans. Like the cave paintings in France. It seems that early humans put the animals front and Center at some point.

Using your magical paint to steal my soul and trap it in rock? No thank you! That’s a quick way to get yourself bludgeoned. Stick to animals please.

Re: Life-size camel sculptures in Saudi Arabia are older than Stonehenge, pyramids

#30

Post by papandada »

RandomWorker wrote: post #2

I find it amazing that early humans tended to make art of animals not humans. Like the cave paintings in France. It seems that early humans put the animals front and Center at some point.

And maybe a few fertile/pregnant women.
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