Bassaule, the Hill of Caves
1879
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1879
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a rocky hillside dotted with dark cave openings under a pale sky. This photo isn’t from Ireland—it’s Afghanistan during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. John Burke traveled with British troops, taking some of the first photos ever made in the country. Since cameras then were too slow for battle, he shot quiet moments like this instead. To see more of Burke’s war photography, look up John Burke (Irish, 1845–1915).
