In order to visualize a future, we need to learn about our past. And it’s quite fascinating to see how far we’ve come when it comes to using tools in order to get things done. Since ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome, man has used tools to measure and designate boundaries. These tools disappeared in the Middle Ages, but gained more speed during the Renaissance to survey and parcel the land around them.
In its earliest forms, one of the main tools for conducting land surveys was a chain pulled taut, and attempts were made to hold the measure level in order to improve accuracy.
Then came the introduction of the surveyor’s compass and theodolite. The surveyor’s compass, or circumferentor, consisted of a brass circle and an index; on the circle was a compass used to measure horizontal angles. A theodolite could measure both horizontal and vertical angles. Because of the greater accuracy, the theodolite was the preferred tool for surveyors throughout Europe by the early 1800s.
More recently, modern electronics have improved on the theodolite with the addition of an electronic distance measurement device, or EDM; these tools are referred to as total stations.
As GPS gains widespread use, they soon entered the arena of land surveying and many surveyors will still rely on their total stations in conjunction with other equipment such as laser scanners.
While the technology used by land surveyors has been changing and moving forward, even the most advanced technology can only do so much. Land surveying is an artform that technology can’t replace.
To find out more about the history of surveying equipment, please contact us at (800) CALVADA or visit www.calvada.com.
Calvada proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.