Lasers reveal 'lost' Roman roads

[Isaac]

"Archaeologists are using Environment Agency laser mapping data to rediscover hundreds of kilometres of 'lost' Roman roads."

[Peter McLennan]

Not all cameras record visible light. Great find, Isaac. Thanks!

[Justinr]

"Archaeologists are using Environment Agency laser mapping data to rediscover hundreds of kilometres of 'lost' Roman roads."

What has always impressed me is how the Romans planned their roads. As far as we know they had no scaled maps so what process did they use to join all their towns, camps, forts etc up? The lack of masonry bridges in the UK is also odd, they were great engineers so why do we not come across the remains of them more often? I appreciate that over the centuries the stone would have been 'borrowed' by the locals for their own buildings but there is very little reference to them generally.

[Isaac]

As far as we know they had no scaled maps…

fwiw Google finds -- "…in the Roman Empire we have clear evidence… of scale maps and plans."

[Justinr]

fwiw Google finds -- "…in the Roman Empire we have clear evidence… of scale maps and plans."

Interesting that Isaac but they tend to be plans of localities rather than maps of the countries they ruled. But then the same problem must of been encountered by those opening up America although surveys for the railways and, I suppose, various land sales, would have demanded and provided a certain amount of mapping.

Another interesting development was Carta Marina by Olus Magnus in the early 16th century. It was not the first map of northern Europe but is considered impressively accurate given that he prepared it while residing as bishop in exile from his native Sweden in Rome. How did he manage to do it? Mind you, the various dragons and battles between goblins and storks detract somewhat from the overall validity of the chart!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carta_marina

[TomFrerichs]

But then the same problem must of been encountered by those opening up America although surveys for the railways and, I suppose, various land sales, would have demanded and provided a certain amount of mapping.

Not only a certain amount of mapping, but also photography.  When Hayden was commissioned to do the geologic and geographic survey of the Yellowstone region, William Henry Jackson was the Survey's photographer. Many of the first photographs of features such as Old Faithful were taken by Jackson, who is fairly well known for his Western American and railroad photography.

Tom

[Isaac]

Interesting that Isaac but they tend to be plans of localities rather than maps of the countries they ruled.

But they are scaled maps and plans.

I expect there is a good deal known about Roman survey methods which you'll be able to find-out.