This article was taken from the August 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
You don't need a bullwhip to be an archaeologist.
David Kennedy, a professor of classics and ancient history at the University of Western Australia, identified 1,977 sites in Saudi Arabia without stepping foot there, simply by using Google Earth.
● HIGH-RESOLUTION ADDITIONS "Most of Saudi Arabia is still very low-res," says Kennedy. But the resolution offered there by Google Earth has improved. Sign up to followyourworld.appspot.com to be kept informed of Google Earth's latest hi-res additions.
● ● CREATE A HI-RESOLUTION BOX
Define the parameters of a high-resolution window and draw lines around it, as you would with a ruler, on Google Earth. Then comb the box, using lines of longitude and latitude for orientation, in 150-metre strips.
● ● ● LOOK FOR ODDITIES "You'll be looking at natural landmarks and you'll suddenly see something that must be man-made and doesn't fit," says Kennedy. If you're unsure what you've stumbled on, stick a pin on it, then name and number it for later.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
