--- In
BoundaryPoint@yahoogroups.com, "Lowell G. McManus"
<mcmanus71496@m...> wrote:
> I, too, would love to know exactly how the Lateran Treaty of
1929 delimited the
> boundary along and about the colonnade.
well if i understand the italian rightly in
http://www.globalgeografia.com/europa/scv1.htm
the delimitation is primarily indicated not by the treaty text but by a
map that is annexed to the treaty
& tho the best available italian & vatican copies or versions of
this map differ slightly
as indicated in figures 2a & 2b therein
they nevertheless apparently agree in showing itva follow the
outer curvature of the outer colonnade
however there are also in the treaty text 2 verbal descriptions of
the limits of italian police jurisdiction
but i cant tell if these were intended as further substantiation of
the delineation shown on the map
nor can i be sure they even agree with each other
one apparently indicates
the outer lines & prolongation of the colonnade
& the other apparently indicates
the foot of the steps leading to the basilica
it is noteworthy that one possible reading of the latter description
is apparently what is used in figures 3a & 3b
but this is apparently not the only possible reading of that
description
nor does it take any account of the second verbal description
it is evidently possible however to read both verbal descriptions
& the map all together in the single sense that itva follows the
curving edge of the outermost projection of the entire colonnade
& therefore specifically the curving edge of its lowest stair step
rather than the straight outer edges of the columnar plinths
the only difficulty i can see with this most expansive possible
reading is that the flight of steps does not appear to be of
uniform height or width
evidently owing to the slope of the surrounding terrain
indeed
since the steps are entirely missing from some of the pictures
it seems this reading might require one to project the curve of
their lowest riser entirely around the colonnade
& if this is correct then only some part or parts of this curving
border segment would actually follow a manmade feature
while the rest of the sector would merely describe the figure of
the projection of that feature
but in any case that would net us at least 1 real cigar
however it is only a hypothesis & possibly an ignorant one at that
for an alternative cigar if necessary
i have been noticing in these same maps how the opposite end
of the vatican border likewise appears to follow some also
possibly irregular walls of some edifice
so even if the curving colonnade edge is indeed a bust
we still might not have to go very far to find a true example of a
border delineation that follows a nonstraight manmade feature