Basque Arborglyphs

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 8, 2016298 views15 comments

Ok, I'm pretty certain these aspen carvings aren't from Basque sheep herders.... but I found it interesting to learn about the history of these tree carvings. Today, it's of course vandalism, but historically it was more cultural. I never knew there was a term, "arborglyph." For anyone interested, here are a couple interesting links. Here and here, or just Google "basque carvings."

It's a real bummer that many of the trees that make for some beautiful compositions are marked up by these carvings.

My first post in M&N in a very long time! Thanks for looking!

Nikon D700, 28-300mmVR @55mm and f/11

Thanks!

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on January 8, 2016 at 7:26 PM

Nicely composed and wonderful soft light, Mr. Lon. I like the lineup of the five trees and the squiggly one on the left. Processing looks dandy.

Speaking Basque carvings, there are some aspens near Monitor pass with carvings that date back to 1800's, and I'm sure there are other places in the Sierra the sheepherders frequented. Cool stuff.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on January 8, 2016 at 8:11 PM

Lon: neat capture of some markings from the past. The techs are spot on. If these are all markings by Basque shepherds, then I would put them in the same category as petroglyphs. Nice one. Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 8, 2016 at 8:44 PM

Thanks Preston and Richard for your comments. Richard, sorry if I made it confusing, but I'm quite certain the markings are not genuine, old, Basque carvings as these trees I'm sure are less than 40 years old. These are modern carvings which more appropriately would be considered vandalism; hence M&N. Would be cool though to find an original somewhere as Preston suggests.

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on January 8, 2016 at 9:10 PM

Excellent image showing an unfortunate "hand of man," Lon. Having, I'd prefer it without the bark art. Nothing irritates me like environmental vandalism. At our local (free) metroparks gardens, valuable, exotic trees have died due to people carving up the bark for the sake of posterity, and the trees and rocks throughout the park are carved up. In this day and age, I don't get it. surprise

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on January 9, 2016 at 5:18 AM

Interesting cultural phenomenon that I did not know of, so thanks for the info! Indeed it's a shame that many trees are stripped of their natural look like this, but what can you do. People will always be people, I'm afraid....

I like your comp, especially the little one to the left of the group of bigger ones is nice imo. Splendid soft light too!

Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 9, 2016 at 10:59 AM

Yeah, it is a shame about the tree hacking. Nice image though. Good lines and color. I would be inclined to pull way, way back on the cyan.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 9, 2016 at 3:06 PM

I read both articles, Lon. The original Basque carvings are analogous to archeological digs. Once you get past the historicity of the thing, one needs to keep in mind that one is basically digging in very old rubbish heaps. Fifty or a hundred years from now, if those same trees are still around, they will have acquired the patina of Twentieth Century historical records—no longer vandalism but the more dignified "arborglyph"!

Lon, I like the picture, carvings and all. The composition, color and detail are just fine. Thanks for bringing an interesting back story to the image. devil

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on January 10, 2016 at 12:33 AM

The carvings are indeed a shame, and this sort of vandalism is getting worse, regrettably. I like the composition and the detail a lot. I do feel that the bark looks too bluish. I see how pulling down the blue/cyan could make the yellows too strident, or perhaps not? I think it would be worth playing around with color a bit.

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on January 10, 2016 at 8:16 AM

Lon, this is beautiful. I like the composition, the layers, the colors and the light. They all work together to make a very attractive and peaceful image. This one of the hardest types of image for me to take. I have tried to shoot this type of image many times but when I get home I am never satisfied with what I shot. I always appreciate someone with this kind of artistic eye.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on January 10, 2016 at 3:04 PM

Lon, after looking at this again, I agree with Harley's suggestion to cut back the cyan.

Would be cool though to find an original somewhere as Preston suggests.

The aspen grove where I saw the Basque carvings is quite near Monitor Pass (CA 89) on the left side of the road as one heads east toward the pass. The best time to go there would be early in the morning before the diurnal winds pick up.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on January 11, 2016 at 5:01 PM

I think that this is a nice aspen tree image and I am trying to ignore the markings. More easily done in the smaller image. The image would pop more with less cyan. But I agree these markings appear modern.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 11, 2016 at 5:40 PM

Thank you everyone for your comments, suggestions and especially reaction to this. I was conflicted with this and new at the outset that if this came out I would post in M&N. But difficult creating something "pretty" yet contains elements that represent something that ain't so pretty...

good call on the cyan. I've worked up the master and it looks better.

Thanks again!

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by D.A. Edwards on January 15, 2016 at 2:29 PM

I've seen a lot of Basque glyphs over the years... I recall some of them being somewhat "lonely man out in the wilderness for a long time" images, too. angry

I really don't have a problem with the cyans FWIW, Lon. They work well with the yellows and from what I've read it is the way light actually works despite what our eyes tell us. I might want to see the two pines on the right being a bit darker or just needing a bit of black, but YMMV.

Registered on October 8, 2014, 226 Posts, 1187 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on January 17, 2016 at 10:21 PM

Fascinating stories in your links and well shown, Lon. Something I've never heard about, and it makes for a beautiful nature scene, too.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Elizabeth Holbrook on January 21, 2016 at 6:09 PM

Congratulations on your weekly pick win. Beautiful image!

Registered on May 6, 2015, 43 Posts, 221 Comments