Posted on 06/05/2007 6:39:35 PM PDT by BGHater
Satellites hovering above Egypt have zoomed in on a 1,600-year-old metropolis, archaeologists say.
Images captured from space pinpoint telltale signs of previous habitation in the swatch of land 200 miles south of Cairo, which digging recently confirmed as an ancient settlement dating from about 400 A.D.
The find is part of a larger project aiming to map as much of ancient Egypt's archaeological sites, or "tells," as possible before they are destroyed or covered by modern development.
"It is the biggest site discovered so far," said project leader Sarah Parcak of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Based on the coins and pottery we found, it appears to be a massive regional center that traded with Greece, Turkey and Libya."
Another large city dating to 600 B.C. and a monastery from 400 A.D. are some of the four hundred or so sites that Parcak has located during her work with the satellites. The oldest dates back over 5,000 years.
Egypt contains a wealth of already identified archaeological tells like these, but even they represent only about 0.01 percent of what is out there still uncovered, Parcak said.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
The Great Aten Temple at Tell el-Amarna, Middle Egypt. Even though the northern enclosure wall of the temple is buried beneath a modern cemetery, using Quickbird high resolution satellite imagery, it is still possible to see the buried wall. Credit: Sarah H Parcak, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Thanks. I enjoy learning about new finds.
They guys that lived right next to it did not know it was within walking distance?
Neato!
Impressive. But can they zoom in on somebody’s cat like “Google?”
Great stuff. Thanks for posting this.
There’s an ancient egyptian city that came from space?
No no no... It came back "Spotted from space", time to sue the pants off the dry cleaners again!
Oh no. I pity the space cleaners!
Way to fan the flames of Arab paranoia, guys. First their defeat in the '67 war gives them small weenies and now this.
I just looked on Google Earth and the imagery is good enough in that area that it’s visible on there, too.
Coordinates: 27°38’58.44”N 30°54’1.29”E
No no no... you see, it was caused by global warming
Somebody call Indian Jones and tell him to bring the headpiece from the Staff of Ra.
Ping...
BUMP!
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Polish archaeologists have discovered a richly furnished Egyptian tomb dating back 5,000 years
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