this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2024
164 points (97.7% liked)

What is this thing?

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Currently in CHALLENGE mode: If you've got something obscure knocking about, post a picture, and let's see how we do. Please prefix such posts with "CHALLENGE:" so we know we've got a fighting chance.

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Any ideas?

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[–] [email protected] 144 points 2 months ago

That is a surveyor's mark called an Above Ground Marker. It is used as a point of reference when they survey they land.

[–] [email protected] 90 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Its called a benchmark, used by surveyors as a known point from which to take readings. We had a benchmark on the edge of of our property in the town where In grew up. It was a square, white marble column, like a truncated obelisk with the point cut off to make a 4" square flat top, buried at the roadside and standing a couple inches proud of the grass. It had a cross with a dot in the middle, and a geodetic ID number engraved on the top.

Nailed it with the lawnmower once or twice. That'd really put the Fear in you.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

My grandma has a little concrete thing like that that marks where her property ends (or where 1 part of it ends, legally it's 2 rectangles sharing a side). Once after not mowing for like a month and a half I forgot it was there and totally ruined the freshly replaced blades 🥲

[–] [email protected] 78 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Control point for ley lines. Keeps the magic channeled to prevent chaos from breaking out.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 months ago

Yeah, this. You can step on one, and it's fine. Just don't step on two and complete the circuit, it's like boofing the third rail.

[–] [email protected] 73 points 2 months ago (1 children)

A marker point for geodetic marking. Also known as triangulation station or trigonometrical point, it's fixed to the ground with its known coordinates.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Cool! Interesting, I thought True North meant that they somehow pointed north given another reference. Thanks for the info.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They hold the sidewalk down, don't pick it up or the whole block could blow away.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago

Yep, these are the measures that keep the underworld locked for the rich and I am tired of pretending it's not.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It controls where true north is, and if you remove it that will really mess with geographers and surveyors

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Please don't, people! I don't want to have to re-learn geography with different orientations...

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You shouldn't be afraid of different orientations. Embrace difference!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

Sorry, DEI is banned in my state.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 2 months ago

Survey marker, used by surveyors to calibrate equipment. So I've been told, anyway.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Canada’s look different. They have a reference number

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

This is a survey monument vs the original post being a control point. Survey monuments are established on a larger scale.

When you need to reference a known elevation or XY coordinate, there is a network of survey monuments with known coordinates, usually installed and documented by governments. You reference a known location’s elevation and north x west coordinates and then use instrumentation to determine angle changes to transfer the known elevation to a series of other locations.

When you section off property or build things, like roads or buildings, you use this network of points and triangulate paths off of them to the job site by calculating angles and distances. Since you have to maintain line of sight while traversing the distance, you add points you can use to pivot on and travel great distances. These points are called ‘control points’ or ‘benchmarks’.

The main post pic is a control point. Your picture is a survey monument.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

You see those in the US too. I think the one in original photo is for temporary use. I.e. embed it for your project and leave when done.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

That would make sense given the lack of refrence numbers.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just more proof they're* holding us down.

*Blessed autocorrect

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

What was the original text?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

< We reach/tether >

< through Control Points >

< into the Bureau/House >

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

The Rule of Three applies, of course.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

What city is this in? Because I've never noticed one in nyc

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

once you start to notice them, you'll never stop seeing them everywhere.

this one is a magnetic nail, so it can be found more easily with a metal detector, which is pretty handy when there's a foot or two of snow on the ground.

you'll also see crosses, squares, and triangles carved out in stone, as well as the super common drill holes in concrete, which are typically only for temporary points.

I've found 100+ year old control points drilled into old stone walls, and they can still check within like ¼" of the new maps.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Mind control relay. You can try to remove it but are mentally incapable unless you have a tinfoil hat.