Which of the following is considered a monument in land surveying?

In land surveying, a monument is a physical marker that is used to indicate the boundary of a parcel of land. A metal stake qualifies as such a monument because it serves as a tangible point of reference in the field. These stakes can be driven into the ground at the corners or edges of properties and are used by surveyors to delineate property lines. The integrity and preservation of these monuments are critical for maintaining accurate property boundaries over time.

Written descriptions, photographs, and legal documents serve important roles in land surveying and property ownership, but they do not provide the physical, observable reference that a monument does. Written descriptions articulate the details of land boundaries, while photographs may capture the state of a property or reference locations. Legal documents, such as deeds, form the basis of legal ownership and conveyance but do not provide a physical presence in the landscape. Thus, while they are vital components of property law and surveying practice, they lack the function of a monument that designates a specific point on the ground.