Mayan Pyramid Bulldozed for Construction Gravel - Belize

[NOTDilbert]

This has got to be the greatest example of working with their eyes wide shut.....
except for the time before that. And the one before that.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/travel ... 6641723000

[Atomic]

When cultures changed, Roman (and Greek) temples were stripped of their marble coverings, and the Pyramids were stripped of their limestone cladding. Easier than quarrying for more.

[Julie]

When cultures changed, Roman (and Greek) temples were stripped of their marble coverings, and the Pyramids were stripped of their limestone cladding. Easier than quarrying for more.

On the one hand, this is true. On the other hand, given the amount of attention and funding that humanity as a whole seems to direct to historically significant sites, you'd think that people would be less inclined to strip down such sites in the name of progress. After all, pyramids like this one could become tourist destinations (bringing much needed funds into the country) or bring in noted scientists and historians...resulting in academic attention being drawn to the area (not to mention the History Channel or A&E film crews that could bring this site to the attention of the sofa-bound people like me). Granted, in a country as small as Belize, it's likely that historical sites eventually will need to be bulldozed to make way for growth, but surely they should be investigated and catalogued and studied thoroughly first. *sigh*

Things like this make my heart hurt.

[bmonk]

When cultures changed, Roman (and Greek) temples were stripped of their marble coverings, and the Pyramids were stripped of their limestone cladding. Easier than quarrying for more.

Not only that. Many churches around the Mediterranean have columns from pagan temples and other buildings. Sometimes they even got enough so they all matched.