this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2024
161 points (97.6% liked)

What is this thing?

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Any ideas?

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[–] [email protected] 142 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] solidgrue 89 points 3 weeks ago

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.

[–] SpaceNoodle 78 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

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

[–] chemical_cutthroat 30 points 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] PapaStevesy 62 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

Sorry, DEI is banned in my state.

[–] espentan 38 points 3 weeks ago

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

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

Canada’s look different. They have a reference number

[–] eltrain123 10 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] stoly 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago

That would make sense given the lack of refrence numbers.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Just more proof they're* holding us down.

*Blessed autocorrect

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

What was the original text?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

< We reach/tether >

< through Control Points >

< into the Bureau/House >

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

The Rule of Three applies, of course.

[–] Glowstick 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] Feathercrown 7 points 3 weeks ago

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