Architectural Fragments: Curiosity on Sol 2639

[George J. Haas]

On January 15, 2020 independent researcher Martine Grainy posted a section of the mosaic on here Facebook page that showed an anomaly sitting within the surface that resemble a fragment of what appeared to be broken architecture or a piece of sculpture (Figure 1). The geometry of the sculpturual oddity was truly stunning.



Figure 1
Anomaly
Image source Martine Grainy

The original image was taken by the Mast Camera onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 2639, January 8 2020.

Here is a portion of that image showing the location of the Architectural Fragment that was acquired within the Bradbury Landing region of Mars, just beyond Oqunquit Beach (Figure 2).



Figure 2
Architectural Fragment
Detail of Curiosity on Sol 2639 (boxed) 1/8/20

This broken piece of architecture or the remains of some kind of angular geometrically-shaped sculpture is not natural...and may be the best example of an actual "Smoking Gun" ever seen on Mars.


GJH

[George J. Haas]

Here is a close-up of the Architectural Fragment (Figure 3).




Figure 3
Architectural Fragment
Detail of Curiosity on Sol 2639 (1/8/20).


GJH

[williamsaunders]

The machined appearance of the fragment in the center is very obvious, but the textural difference between the three highlighted pieces demonstrates that it is extremely unlikely to be a natural, in situ rock (Figure 4).

             

Figure 4

[George J. Haas]

This Architectural Fragment on Mars looks a lot like some of the architectural structures produced by the Maya. Here is a structure located in Palenque, Mexico called the Temple of the Skull. Notice the structure has a thick ledge over a square doorway that is located right next to a triangular archway that looks very similar to what we are seeing on Mars (Figure 5).



Figure 5
Temple of the Skull
Palenque, Mexico

When a section of the ledge and doorways of the Temple of the Skull are compared to the Architectural Fragment observed on Mars a common design element becomes quite plausible (Figure 6).



Figure 6
Architectural comparison
Left: Architectural Fragment, Mars
Right: Temple of the Skull, Palenque (detail).


GJH