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Roman civil engineering

Photography Historical posted on Jul 03, 2012
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Description


Ok, so this is no where near pretty and it doesn't look very interesting. But it is an amazing bit of engineering. Faemike is often presenting wierd objects and asking us to guess what they are or their function. So taking inspiration from him I am asking you to guess WTF is this? I'll give you a few clues. The next series of shots are going to focus on a Roman bath house/sauna complex in Perge. And this "thing" is an integral part of such a structure. In fact so integral were they that they numbered in the 100s or more. Slaves were involved in making them work. The answer will come on Thursday, after my 4th of July tribute. Previous Perge
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"Helens of Perge"

Comments (19)


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eekdog Online Now!

12:02AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

sure is odd, some sort old shale slats or hmmm?, why they be stacked that way, only one can guess.

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Sepiasiren

12:37AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Opening to an aqueduct?

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odile

1:04AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Has it anything to do with the heating or cooling of the baths ?:)

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SidheRoseGraphics

1:33AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

I'm thinking like Odile - they were heating stones, heated by the fires below the pool. Because they're thin, they heated up faster, heated each other and held the heat? Oh, oh now we have two of you playing guessing games :) It may not be one of your prettiest shots, Roxy but it's very interesting! I'm not overly fond of the Roman Empire but I do have to admire their engineers.

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magnus073

1:43AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

I think this one is really cool Roxy and you're right about what an amazing piece of engineering it is.

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blinkings

2:46AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Very interesting.

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papasmrfe

4:21AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Air was forced through shafts beneath the baths. As the air seeped up between these layered stones, it would create small pockets of air which would rise to the surface of the water. Baths of this sort were very popular, and eventually, Rome became world-famous for creating the very first (non-flatulant) bubble-baths. Ok, not really... but I had fun making it up.

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mikeerson

5:33AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

has something to do with heating the water or filtering it? at first sight, I was thinking maybe it's like a trap that you find in pyramids? I wouldn't be surprised if there is some form of treasure under all those smaller stones.

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3dpoetry

6:43AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Great capture

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LivingPixels

8:08AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

I am intrigued Roxy! lovely shot!

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barryjeffer

9:08AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

I won't hazard a guess Roxy... but I do know the Romans were geniuses when it came to many things. A great capture and an intriguing question. Thanks for making the old neurons bounce around for a moment.

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Faemike55

9:18AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

nice little change up by rotating the picture 90 degrees my guess is this is an access to the fire chambers to keep the waters hot

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0rest4wicked

10:05AM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Was thinking along the lines of the hot bath. Where the skin is then scraped clean by some hired hand at the bath or a hand already in ones service! The volume allowed doesn't seem like much in this image for a bath so maybe it's more for the creating of steam?

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adorety Online Now!

12:24PM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Yep, I think heating too. The thin rocks makes me also think along those lines. Thanks for the puzzle and Happy 4th.

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weesel

3:02PM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Interesting. I believe the image was rotated to add to the confusion. Part of the heating system, possibly even an entrance to the fireplaces.

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FaeMoon

10:18PM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Oh, I'm betting on heating or maybe a drain?

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twelvemark21

10:20PM | Wed, 04 July 2012

Intriguing, I'm not even going to hazard a guess as to what it might be at this point. I shall await anxiously the answer though (just hope that answer comes before tomorrow afternoon as I may be off line for a few days).

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RodS Online Now!

10:23PM | Wed, 04 July 2012

I suspect the stones were heated by slave-tended fires. I vaguely remember seeing something on History Channel a few years ago about Roman engineering - which was quite advanced... Hmmmm.... Looking at that brick in the upper right corner.... You did rotate this didn't ya?? :-D Very cool shot, Roxy!

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drifterlee

1:00PM | Thu, 05 July 2012

A water outlet?


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