2-mile-tall, naked ‘Marree Man’ looming over Australian outback is a total mystery — Earth from space
QUICK FACTS
Where is he? Finniss Springs Plateau, South Australia [-29.532472, 137.468390]
What’s in the photo? A 3km-high geoglyph of an Australian Aboriginal hunter carved into the ground in the outback
Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 8
When was it taken? June 22, 2019
This striking satellite photo shows a gigantic geoglyph, nicknamed “Marree Man”, suddenly appearing in the Australian outback less than 30 years ago. The origins of these indigenous-inspired artworks remain a mystery.
The design of the figurine is probably based on an Australian aborigine, depicted naked and wielding either a “woomera” throwing stick or a boomerang. It is approximately 3.5 km wide at its widest point, from the soles of the feet to the tip of the weapon, while its perimeter measures approximately 28 km in total.
Compared to most other geoglyphs, such as that of Peru Nazca Lineswhat can dates back to 200 BC – Marree Man is extremely young, appearing suddenly in the summer of 1998. But experts aren’t sure who created this imposing figure or how they sketched it so quickly.
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By 2016, the lines of the Marree Man, which were originally about 25 centimeters deep, had almost completely disappeared due to wind erosion.
As a result, local business owners decided to reshape the lines using a commercial excavator and a GPS guidance system, resulting in much deeper lines, according to ABC News.
The traced geoglyph, shown in the satellite image, is expected to last longer than its predecessor (see below) because special grooves designed to retain water have been added to its outline. In theory, this should allow vegetation to grow on its edges, giving it a more durable green edge, according to the Earth Observatory.
Who created Marree Man?
The Marree Man was first discovered by a charter pilot on June 26, 1998, shortly before an anonymous fax was sent to nearby hotels, alerting staff to the creation of the geoglyph and initially naming it the Stuart Giant. (The name Marree Man was later popularized by the press.)
Satellite images from Landsat 8 then revealed that it was created at some point during a 16-day period between May 27, when no geoglyphs were visible to the satellite, and June 12, when it was first photographed from space.
It was likely created by some type of earth-moving machine, and some experts say this could only have been achieved using an early form of GPS mapping.
When the lines were redesigned in 2016, it took workers about 60 hours to complete the task using updated technology. The team also found 250 bamboo stakes along the perimeter, which were likely used as markers for the original, according to a 2016 article by Shipping Australia.
The most commonly proposed creator of the Marree Man was an Adelaide-based artist named Bardius Goldberg. Several of Goldberg’s friends claimed he told them he was responsible, but he never admitted it publicly and died in 2002.
There is also evidence that it may have been created by American personnel at a nearby Royal Australian Air Force base, since a small plaque with the American flag was discovered near the giant’s head. Experts later pointed out that the anonymous fax also contained several “Americanisms,” according to ABC News.
In 2018, Australian entrepreneur and explorer Dick Smith offered a reward of A$5,000 (US$3,700) to anyone with information on the origins of the geoglyph, according to CNN.
