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Have I solved the enigmatic mystery of this precious Peruvian sacred stone? Here, I recount the story of my extensive investigation to find answers to this 200-year-old riddle. Update 5/5/2025: This is taking longer than I anticipated; please be patient.
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24 photos in 2 sub-albums
The best images of a ship at high altitude on a Mountain.
It's on Mount Ararat.
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In the central highlands of Papua New Guinea, remote explorer Gary Eastman has made a striking discovery using Google Earth Pro—an enormous bas-relief of a Cockatoo carved into the mountainside. Measuring approximately 40 meters wide and 80 meters tall, this geoglyph depicts the bird standing and facing left, with visible traces of color, including a distinctive blue bill. The bas-relief is expertly carved, suggesting a high degree of skill in stone working, a craft practiced by early Papua New Guinea indigenous peoples. This carving is so vast that it can only be fully appreciated from an aerial viewpoint.
The Cockatoo is a significant bird in the region, known for its presence in Papua New Guinea's diverse fauna. The representation of this bird in such a monumental form raises intriguing possibilities about its importance to the region's early inhabitants. While the exact purpose of the geoglyph remains unknown, it could have served a ceremonial or symbolic function, perhaps linked to the bird's role in local culture or mythology.
Stone working has been a critical part of indigenous Papua New Guinean culture for millennia. While many tribes in Papua New Guinea are renowned for their wood-carving skills, particularly in coastal and riverine areas, there is also a history of stone tool production and use, especially in the highlands. Stone axes and tools have been found throughout the region, evidence of an ancient tradition of shaping stone for practical and ritual purposes. The level of detail in this Cockatoo bas-relief suggests that the creators had an advanced understanding of stone-working and large-scale artistic representation.
This discovery holds potential cultural significance for the indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea today. It could inspire efforts to explore and preserve other archaeological features hidden within the island's dense, often inaccessible terrain. For local communities, reconnecting with such a rich heritage can foster a deeper appreciation of their ancestors' achievements and resilience. Additionally, documenting and preserving this geoglyph may help raise awareness of the importance of protecting cultural landmarks across the region.
The central highland tribes of Papua New Guinea have a long history of survival and adaptation in some of the most rugged and isolated environments on earth. Their skills in agriculture, stone tool-making, and trade networks allowed them to thrive in these remote regions. This newly revealed Cockatoo geoglyph may represent a previously unknown facet of their cultural expression, offering a window into their connection with the land and the creatures that inhabit it.
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Archaeological Discovery of Petroglyph and Burial Ground, Naxos Island, Greece
Introduction
The discovery of a vast ancient burial site in the interior of Naxos Island, made via satellite imagery, offers unprecedented insights into the island's early indigenous inhabitants. At the center of this burial ground lies a monumental petroglyph, a partial face rendered in bas-relief, visible only from above. Just the eye of the partial face spans an area of approximately 37.3 meters by 17.06 meters. It presents a remarkable testament to these early cultures' advanced stone working skills. I collected 19 satellite images. Each of the 19 images, taken at different times, consistently reveals the same design characteristics despite variations in image quality, supporting the hypothesis that this site was of significant cultural and spiritual importance.
Structural Features
The petroglyph's craftsmanship exhibits precise bas-relief techniques, wherein portions of the stone surface are elevated above the surrounding ground surface, creating the illusion of a carved face. The scale of the face, coupled with its gaze looking straight up and aligned perpendicular to the ground plane, suggests it was designed to be viewed from an elevated or aerial perspective, raising questions about how this civilization conceptualized spatial awareness and artistic expression. This discovery underscores the indigenous Naxiots' expertise in large-scale stonework, particularly in manipulating natural geological formations. The faint tint of color detected on the stone surface could indicate the use of natural pigments; however, the primary focus remains on the intricacy and size of the relief itself.
Cultural Significance and Hypotheses
The deliberate placement of the petroglyphs within a burial ground underscores their probable role as a religious or ritual significance marker. The indigenous people of Naxos, known for their sophisticated use of stone, may have imbued this image with spiritual or cosmological meaning, potentially signifying a deity, ancestor, or guardian figure. The patterns of stonework surrounding the burial site support the idea of a carefully organized and sacred landscape, suggesting that the petroglyph and burial ground were central to their ceremonial practices.
Patterns of Stonework and Potential Future Discoveries
Beyond the face itself, the surrounding stonework exhibits recurring geometric patterns, suggesting a planned architectural design that may have once extended throughout the burial ground. Though the precise purpose of these patterns remains speculative, they hint at a complex cultural understanding of space, death, and the afterlife. Future excavation or more detailed imaging may reveal additional artifacts, stone markers, or structures that could further elucidate the site’s function and the broader spiritual framework of the indigenous Naxiot society.
Conclusion
This discovery, made possible through the remote exploration of satellite imagery, offers profound potential for the indigenous descendants of Naxos Island, serving as a tangible link to their ancestors. The early Naxiots, skilled in both the practical and symbolic use of stone, demonstrate their advanced craftsmanship in this site, which, if properly studied, may provide valuable insights into the religious and cultural dynamics of ancient Cycladic civilization. While much remains to be uncovered, this petroglyph and its associated features represent a significant archaeological find that will enrich the understanding of Naxos’ historical landscape.
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