AA-2026-778A0D
On the image
A geological hammer lies casually on a rock outcrop, ready for the serious business of hitting rocks. This specialised tool suggests someone was actively engaged in the meticulous study of the Earth's crust, a practice that involves a surprising amount of striking things with hammers.
The rock itself is a chaotic collection of bits and pieces, held together by sheer geological will. It's the kind of formation that causes some people to pull out measuring tapes and make detailed notes, convinced they are unravelling ancient secrets, or at least classifying a new type of gravel.
This scene captures the quiet intensity of scientific fieldwork in the 1970s, where one could spend an entire afternoon examining a single square foot of ground. The promise of discovering something significant, or at least proving the obvious, fuelled many such expeditions.
The historian's note
This photograph from the 1970s depicts a geological hammer, also known as a rock hammer or pick. Such tools are fundamental to geological fieldwork, used for breaking off samples of rock, clearing away weathered material, and generally examining rock formations in situ.
The hammer is shown resting on a sedimentary rock outcrop, likely a conglomerate or breccia, characterised by its clastic texture of cemented fragments. The context suggests on-site examination or collection of samples for later laboratory analysis.
Geological surveys and field studies were crucial in the 1970s for understanding Earth's processes, mapping natural resources, and informing engineering and environmental projects. This image represents a typical scene from such scientific endeavours.
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Geological Hammer on Rock Outcrop, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-778A0D. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/geological-hammer-on-rock-outcrop-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026778A0D,
title = {Geological Hammer on Rock Outcrop, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-778A0D},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/geological-hammer-on-rock-outcrop-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Geological Hammer on Rock Outcrop, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-778A0D UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/geological-hammer-on-rock-outcrop-1970s ER -
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