Marree Man • Hacker News Board

Re: Marree Man

#21

Post by gumby » Sun, Aug 25, 2019, 5:54 PM UTC

buckminster wrote: post #12

Article misses an important point: what is the latest date it definitely wasn't there? There's nothing in the article that makes it more recent than 1928.

Australia’s a pretty big place and what population it has is mostly clustered in a few coastal locations. There are tons of spots that haven’t been visited in thousands of years, and possibly ever, despite 60Ky of inhabitation.

Visitors find it hard to grasp. Imagine if half the population of California inhabited the “lower 48” states. Where would they live?

Re: Marree Man

#22

Post by kanaba » Sun, Aug 25, 2019, 6:28 PM UTC

clktmr wrote: post #18

Anyone knows what he is holding in his right hand?

FTA

> The Marree Man geoglyph depicts a man holding either a woomera (a throwing stick once used to disperse small flocks of birds) or a boomerang (but see Plaque section below).

Re: Marree Man

#23

Post by FR10 » Mon, Aug 26, 2019, 12:06 AM UTC

Although 1/10 of its size Nazca lines[0] are pretty impressive too and they were made 2k years ago. Why couldn’t have this been made a lot far back.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines

Re: Marree Man

#24

Post by jimmux » Mon, Aug 26, 2019, 5:53 AM UTC

kanaba wrote: post #22

clktmr wrote: post #18

Anyone knows what he is holding in his right hand?

FTA > The Marree Man geoglyph depicts a man holding either a woomera (a throwing stick once used to disperse small flocks of birds) or a boomerang (but see Plaque section below).

That's not exactly the description I would go with for a woomera. The woomera is not thrown, and acts as an extension of the arm when throwing a spear. A boomerang is more likely to be used for flocks of birds, so the definitions may have been mixed up.

Re: Marree Man

#25

Post by sourdoughness » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 9:44 AM UTC

somada141 wrote: post #7

hutzlibu wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah .. very australian. I live in middle europe and there are many places just "10h" drive away I have never visited and probably never will .. But aside that, I doubt it will look spectacular close up.

A 10h drive in Central Europe can get you far :). Australia is a vast emptiness as soon as you leave the coast. Also I’m hoping I can get the geoglyph in frame with a drone though I haven’t done the math to see whether that’s possible within the confines of the law in terms of altitude (120m max altitude in Oz).

Not legal, but I’d imagine you could push that ceiling safely and without any consequences out there. Problem is taking photos from illegally high makes the wrong kind of evidence.

Re: Marree Man

#26

Post by sourdoughness » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 9:48 AM UTC

jimmux wrote: post #24

kanaba wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FTA > The Marree Man geoglyph depicts a man holding either a woomera (a throwing stick once used to disperse small flocks of birds) or a boomerang (but see Plaque section below).

That's not exactly the description I would go with for a woomera. The woomera is not thrown, and acts as an extension of the arm when throwing a spear. A boomerang is more likely to be used for flocks of birds, so the definitions may have been mixed up.

People might know it better as an _atlatl_. Generically, it’s a “spear-thrower”. It’s amazing how much difference they make - good fun to make in the backyard!

Re: Marree Man

#27

Post by sourdoughness » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 9:49 AM UTC

hutzlibu wrote: post #6

somada141 wrote: post #5

My family in South Australia has lived a 10h drive from this their entire life and no idea it existed. I should really visit.

Ah .. very australian. I live in middle europe and there are many places just "10h" drive away I have never visited and probably never will .. But aside that, I doubt it will look spectacular close up.

I don’t think it’s even really visible from the ground - maybe a vaguely scuffed and cleared strip of dirt.

Re: Marree Man

#28

Post by prawn » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 11:48 AM UTC

somada141 wrote: post #7

hutzlibu wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah .. very australian. I live in middle europe and there are many places just "10h" drive away I have never visited and probably never will .. But aside that, I doubt it will look spectacular close up.

A 10h drive in Central Europe can get you far :). Australia is a vast emptiness as soon as you leave the coast. Also I’m hoping I can get the geoglyph in frame with a drone though I haven’t done the math to see whether that’s possible within the confines of the law in terms of altitude (120m max altitude in Oz).

There are apps that photograph an area and stitch the photos for you.