Welcome back to Edges and Entries, where I share discussion of those spaces and states between worlds, so far introducing some of my thoughts on doors and coastlines. I do this through a brief essay and collection of ideas, vignettes, and observations which I try to wrangle into something approaching sense, followed by a photograph of mine which fits and, finally, a piece of fiction (usually—sometimes, I experiment with other ideas), whether flash fiction, an excerpt from something longer, or a poem.
Loved this, Alex -- you're probably familiar with Robert Macfarlane's Underland and wonder if you also know the work of the poet Clayton Eshleman who did extensive research on cave paintings and the paleolithic imagination -- Juniper Fuse is an amazing work of his.
Many thanks! I do have Underland, but I'm deliberately not reading it until I finish this series, for fear of it influencing my own words too much! I don't know of Clayton Eshleman, so I shall endeavour to find some of his work, thanks. I really love cave painting; if you ever are in Ardèche , I'd heartily recommend visiting the replica of Chauvet cave, it is a remarkable achievement, with no damage to the original (unlike Lascaux, for example).
Great topic! So many associations! When I was a kid, my uncle was into spelunking so he’d take us to the caves near where he lived in Rolla, Missouri. It was a fascinating world. This also made me think of Robert Macfarlane’s fabulous book, “Underland,” where he profiles places both natural and man-made as a lens on history, our present and the future. The May edition of Talking Back to Walden will be on shelter, so I will surely reference this post. Thanks for a great read.
Oh, thank you so much, really glad you enjoyed this. As you say, it really is a fascinating world down there! I have a copy of Underland and have deliberately held off reading it until I've finished this series, for fear of being too heavily influenced... (See also: Tristan Gooley and my AWE series, I am very much looking forward to reading more of his work, but am pausing until I've finished a few posts on similar content.) Thanks again.
I hope you enjoy it! I have always been a fan of what lies beneath, whether natural or manmade, there's something entirely Other about being below the surface of the planet.
Another great post, Alexander. The 'Underworld' is one of those places that can give rise to all sorts of emotions and feelings, which, to an extent, depend very much on the underground place itself.
The first time I properly went underground was at school. We were taken caving at Inchnadamph. It's so long ago I can't really remember much about it - certainly not fear, more curiosity, discomfort and a lot of wriggling about in mud!
Other experiences are:
High Pasture Cave on Skye - a natural cave complex that was modified in prehistory for a possibly ritual function (there's that word beloved of archaeologists, lol). That was lovely wading through the water to get to the area that was modified (stone steps had been built down to meet the water). It felt fresh and the sound of the water soothing.
Minehowe, Orkney - a couple of friends and I were taken down out of season so there were no lights. We had torches but switched them off once at the bottom. That felt quite oppressive, as if the darkness was pressing in on you. Of course there was no sound at all apart from anything that we made.
The Valley of the Kings, Egypt - again different as man-made. Filled with awe at the work that had gone into making and decorating the tombs.
And now, because everyone else has mentioned it, Robert Macfarlane's 'Underland' will be going on the TBR pile.....
I love this comment, so full of feelings, events, moments in time underground. I've read about High Pasture Cave, but have never visited (I'm all in favour of 'ritual functions'!!). You make me want to go, though, I find the sound of water soothing at all times, whether rain, or wave, or drip, so it sounds ideal. Minehowe was discovered after I left Orkney, too, so that's also on my list. And I've never been to Egypt at all, would you believe!
That deadening of sound you mention with Minehowe is something I've noticed in certain locations, too. I think it is especially noticeable when you descend from somewhere full of those background noises we all take for granted, whether the sounds of nature: birds, the wind, or those of man: cars, the hub-bub of others. I've always wanted to try out a soundless (or anechoic, I think?!) chamber, see how long I could last in a space with a negative decibel rating.
I really think sound (and manipulating it, whether deadening, or altering) played a much larger role in prehistory than the layman realises. To alter the senses makes ritual (!) that bit more resonant, that bit more Other, after all. (See/smell also, scent!) I remember reading a great paper about sound at Stonehenge, but can't remember who presented it now. Shall have to find it.
Finally, I think all of MacFarlane's work should be on the TBR, I do love how he writes and thinks, although I've yet to read Underland and will hold off until finishing this series of Edges and Entries, for fear of it influencing me too much!
Thanks again for such a great comment, I really appreciate that.
Thanks! There's just so much I want to write about, too. These days, I set a limit on how much time I have to draft and edit, or each essay/letter would spiral out of control into a chapter of a book!
This was a beautiful read Alex, both the essay and the story, I thought I would feel all the old fears returning but it didn’t happen… maybe they don’t even exists anymore it’s so long since I’ve stepped underground…
Robert Macfarlane’s book of the same title has sat by my bed for a year, unread, now I feel an urge to begin… Thank you for the gentle push…
I too have MacFarlane's book! But I'm not reading it until the end of this series, for fear of merely rehashing his work!
That's interesting, that your fears didn't resurface (pardon the pun). If you want some gentle immersion therapy and are ever in Ardèche, a visit to the replica Chauvet cave might help!? You have the best of both worlds: it feels, smells, sounds, and breathes like a cave, but it isn't. I'm also still fascinated by your own tunnel (and might poke my head into our long-ignored cave/cellar too. Last time I went in there, it was really wet and felt a bit unfriendly, with strangely mineralised giant white spider exoskeletons everywhere. Since then, we've had tiles put down on the terrace above it, so hopefully that has stopped the constant water ingress).
Loved this, Alex -- you're probably familiar with Robert Macfarlane's Underland and wonder if you also know the work of the poet Clayton Eshleman who did extensive research on cave paintings and the paleolithic imagination -- Juniper Fuse is an amazing work of his.
Many thanks! I do have Underland, but I'm deliberately not reading it until I finish this series, for fear of it influencing my own words too much! I don't know of Clayton Eshleman, so I shall endeavour to find some of his work, thanks. I really love cave painting; if you ever are in Ardèche , I'd heartily recommend visiting the replica of Chauvet cave, it is a remarkable achievement, with no damage to the original (unlike Lascaux, for example).
Great topic! So many associations! When I was a kid, my uncle was into spelunking so he’d take us to the caves near where he lived in Rolla, Missouri. It was a fascinating world. This also made me think of Robert Macfarlane’s fabulous book, “Underland,” where he profiles places both natural and man-made as a lens on history, our present and the future. The May edition of Talking Back to Walden will be on shelter, so I will surely reference this post. Thanks for a great read.
Oh, thank you so much, really glad you enjoyed this. As you say, it really is a fascinating world down there! I have a copy of Underland and have deliberately held off reading it until I've finished this series, for fear of being too heavily influenced... (See also: Tristan Gooley and my AWE series, I am very much looking forward to reading more of his work, but am pausing until I've finished a few posts on similar content.) Thanks again.
One of my favourite books is ‘Underworld’ so I cannot wait to ‘delve’ into this when we’re home.
I hope you enjoy it! I have always been a fan of what lies beneath, whether natural or manmade, there's something entirely Other about being below the surface of the planet.
Another great post, Alexander. The 'Underworld' is one of those places that can give rise to all sorts of emotions and feelings, which, to an extent, depend very much on the underground place itself.
The first time I properly went underground was at school. We were taken caving at Inchnadamph. It's so long ago I can't really remember much about it - certainly not fear, more curiosity, discomfort and a lot of wriggling about in mud!
Other experiences are:
High Pasture Cave on Skye - a natural cave complex that was modified in prehistory for a possibly ritual function (there's that word beloved of archaeologists, lol). That was lovely wading through the water to get to the area that was modified (stone steps had been built down to meet the water). It felt fresh and the sound of the water soothing.
Minehowe, Orkney - a couple of friends and I were taken down out of season so there were no lights. We had torches but switched them off once at the bottom. That felt quite oppressive, as if the darkness was pressing in on you. Of course there was no sound at all apart from anything that we made.
The Valley of the Kings, Egypt - again different as man-made. Filled with awe at the work that had gone into making and decorating the tombs.
And now, because everyone else has mentioned it, Robert Macfarlane's 'Underland' will be going on the TBR pile.....
Thank you so much for this.
I love this comment, so full of feelings, events, moments in time underground. I've read about High Pasture Cave, but have never visited (I'm all in favour of 'ritual functions'!!). You make me want to go, though, I find the sound of water soothing at all times, whether rain, or wave, or drip, so it sounds ideal. Minehowe was discovered after I left Orkney, too, so that's also on my list. And I've never been to Egypt at all, would you believe!
That deadening of sound you mention with Minehowe is something I've noticed in certain locations, too. I think it is especially noticeable when you descend from somewhere full of those background noises we all take for granted, whether the sounds of nature: birds, the wind, or those of man: cars, the hub-bub of others. I've always wanted to try out a soundless (or anechoic, I think?!) chamber, see how long I could last in a space with a negative decibel rating.
I really think sound (and manipulating it, whether deadening, or altering) played a much larger role in prehistory than the layman realises. To alter the senses makes ritual (!) that bit more resonant, that bit more Other, after all. (See/smell also, scent!) I remember reading a great paper about sound at Stonehenge, but can't remember who presented it now. Shall have to find it.
Finally, I think all of MacFarlane's work should be on the TBR, I do love how he writes and thinks, although I've yet to read Underland and will hold off until finishing this series of Edges and Entries, for fear of it influencing me too much!
Thanks again for such a great comment, I really appreciate that.
Powerful, Alex! I'm looking forward to this season.🤓
Thanks! There's just so much I want to write about, too. These days, I set a limit on how much time I have to draft and edit, or each essay/letter would spiral out of control into a chapter of a book!
This was a beautiful read Alex, both the essay and the story, I thought I would feel all the old fears returning but it didn’t happen… maybe they don’t even exists anymore it’s so long since I’ve stepped underground…
Robert Macfarlane’s book of the same title has sat by my bed for a year, unread, now I feel an urge to begin… Thank you for the gentle push…
I too have MacFarlane's book! But I'm not reading it until the end of this series, for fear of merely rehashing his work!
That's interesting, that your fears didn't resurface (pardon the pun). If you want some gentle immersion therapy and are ever in Ardèche, a visit to the replica Chauvet cave might help!? You have the best of both worlds: it feels, smells, sounds, and breathes like a cave, but it isn't. I'm also still fascinated by your own tunnel (and might poke my head into our long-ignored cave/cellar too. Last time I went in there, it was really wet and felt a bit unfriendly, with strangely mineralised giant white spider exoskeletons everywhere. Since then, we've had tiles put down on the terrace above it, so hopefully that has stopped the constant water ingress).