30 December, 2010

When on Google Earth 108

Since I was the first to identify Felix's WOGE 107 as Darabgerd, a Sassanid era centre in Iran, it falls to me set this puzzle.


So this is the challenge, be the first to correctly identify the site below and its major period of occupation in the comments below and you can host your own!

Felix has raised the issue of handicapping previous winners; for my part, I have been the first to WOGE 102/103/106, but, with the broader interests of the competition in mind, I have declined to take the prize.


The rules:


Q: What is When on Google Earth?

A: It’s a game for archaeologists, or anybody else willing to have a go!

Q: How do you play it?

A: Simple, you try to identify the site in the picture.

Q: Who wins?

A: The first person to correctly identify the site, including its major period of occupation, wins the game.

Q: What does the winner get?

A: The winner gets bragging rights and the chance to host the next When on Google Earth on his/her own blog!

More about WOGE

For a list of previous winners see Electric Archaeologist here …

or join the Facebook group here.

Good luck . .

12 comments:

Felix Bossert said...

Geoff: if I measure the largest tree in the middle of your picture with your scale, i measure a diameter of 38m. That's not possible. Would you please double check your scale?

Geoff Carter said...

HI Felix,
I have changed the image, to show the original scale. I hope this is to your satisfaction

Felix Bossert said...

Thank you very much.

Geoff Carter said...

I would be most grateful if someone update the Facebook group, thank you.

Felix Bossert said...

San Andrés
is a pre-Hispanic site of El Salvador, whose occupation began around the year 900 BC as an agricultural town. This early establishment was vacated by the year 250 because of the enormous eruption of the caldera of Lago Ilopango, and was occupied again in the 5th Century, along with many other sites in the valley of Zapotitán. Between 600 and 900 AD, San Andrés was the capital of a Mayan lordship with supremacy over the other establishments of Vale de Zapotitán.

Geoff Carter said...

Felix- -please repost your comment/ answer;[you are correct]
But it has not shown up on the site for reasons only Google can explain.

Geoff Carter said...

It's OK I found it in the 'SPAM BIN'! & restored it.

You have the correct answer ; it is San Andres in El Salvador, where the tropical trees can get very big.

Felix Bossert said...

Ok, the tree is really big. It has a diameter of 35m an this is huge.

Felix Bossert said...

WOGE109 is ready for hunting

Felix Bossert said...

@Geoff. Sure the last WOGE was not that difficult, but we got a newbie on the boat. I think we should invest a couple of weeks in attracting new players, before we increase the general level of difficulty again. In Return you get more competition. With the next WOGE, I may have to host, I am going to post your remote area low scale you can chew on.

Geoff Carter said...

Hi Felix,
When it falls to me to set the competition, the scale is chosen so that the archaeology site can be seen in sufficient detail to be identified, and is therefore dependent on the type of archaeology.
The archaeological blogging community probably has a basis towards Classical and the Near East. I seek to encourage players by choosing sites from a range of different periods and countries.

This is why I chose a mesoamerican site this time, and a site in India before that.

The competition is different from "Where on Google Earth" in having a bias towards archaeological sites, and this does put archaeologists at an advantage, which is clearly unfair.

In accordance with your wishes I will refrain from playing further this year.

kiran said...

hello every one... nice information and very great writing