Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
pointing north-south, rather than marking them east-west where they would
separate the east from the west, or the morning from the afternoon. At first sight
the medallions look like the covers implanted in the pavement of access points to
utilities like water and gas. The idea was that the people of Paris would accidentally
come across the medallions, wonder about them and thus discover Arago.
The medallions are positioned on pavements and paths. If the medallion is in a
busy place, the bronze is polished by the passing of many feet. Arago's name is
raised in relief and its letters are more polished than the bronze background. By
contrast, if the medallion is under trees on a little traffic refuge and out of the way
of foot traffic, it is deeply weathered to an olive green. The medallions are accu-
rately located on the meridian (to about a meter) and along the way are other refer-
ences to the meridian line (Chapter 10).
