Grave field at Karums alvar

[enricosavazzi]

The geographic location is https://www.google.c...43!4d16.6251509

 

An alvar is a biotope where the bedrock is very close to the surface, and impermeable to water. This makes the alvar very dry in good weather, and covered in ephemeral puddles and ponds after rains. Vegetation is quite interesting, with a combination of xerophiles, orchids and other unusual plants. Trees are isolated and often stunted.

 

This particular grave field is the largest on the island of Öland, and contains about 70 megaliths, stone circles and other constructs. "Noah's ark" is a boat-shaped stone "circle" and is believed to date from the iron age or late bronze age (it has never been excavated, so the dating is uncertain). The large stone at the center likely marks the position of the mast. The other constructs likely span several centuries and are mostly graves.

 

Weather was dreadful (completely overcast, windy and rainy) and I had to set ISO to between 1,600 and 4,000 to shoot hand-held. All images reduced, with moderate adjustments in contrast and luminosity, and converted to monochrome by desaturation. Full spectrum Sony A7 II with AI Nikkor 24 mm f/2.8 and rear-mounted Baader U. Third-party petal lens shade reduces the center flare otherwise common with this lens, but causes some darkening in the corners.

 

UV images are better than VIS at distinguishing between stones and grass/soil. Next-to-last image shows stones arranged on bedrock pavement (as unearthed by an old excavation), hence the low contrast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bvf]

Did you try IR ?

[Andy Perrin]

Quite haunting (I suppose it makes sense for graves).

[Cadmium]

Enrico, Interesting photos! :-)

[colinbm]

Great visual doco thank Enrico

[JMC]

Thanks for sharing Enrico, always interesting to see pictures of sites like this.

[enricosavazzi]

Did you try IR ?

I did not have the IR-pass filters with me on this outing, so no NIR images. They should be a little atypical, at least in the close-up range, because the surface of an alvar is largely naked soil and gravel, rather than completely covered with grass.