Fw: history of the use of ledge symbols in cave maps

[Wookey]

I just received this mail looking for historical info on ledge symbols. 

I don't know most of the answers. The people I can think of that might
do in the UK have mostly recently died. Do we have any
survey-historians around who know something of this history?

Answers I do know below.

----- Forwarded message from Dwight Livingston <dwightliv at verizon.net> -----

From: Dwight Livingston <dwightliv at verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:09:02 -0400
To: wookey at survex.com
Subject: history of the use of ledge symbols in cave maps
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Wookey

Greetings. I'm a U.S. native, West Virginia caver, and slated to give a talk
this summer at our NSS annual convention. The paper is on "Ledge Symbols in
Profile Views", and it'd add some depth if I could find some history of the
use of ledge symbols in plan views. I believe U.S. usage started in
Missouri, but I suspect the symbols were imported, probably from England or
France. So I'm looking for a source.

Here's what I'm looking for . . .

> Who's the expert in the history of cave cartography and willing to answer a
> few questions?

Not sure. Dave Irwin had excellent historical knowledge but died
recently. I would have tried Bryan ellis too, but he's dead as well.
I'm not sure we really have a particular 'history of cave cartography'
expert in the country - not that I've noticed anyway.

> What is the best available text on the history of cave cartography?

Trevor Shaw's 'History of cave science' is the only one I can recall.

> Who drew the first floor ledge symbols, when did they do it, and what cave
> was it?

By this you mean what I call 'pitch symbol' - i.e the edge of a drop?

> Who drew the first ceiling ledge symbols, when did they do it, and what cave
> was it?

Good question. All I know is that it was in the BCRA symbols set when
I starting the 1980s. I think this set was specified quite some time
earlier - 1960s probably but I can't find a reference right now. 

> Know of any examples of ledge symbols in profile views?

I have seen various 'tunnel going back into/out of page'
representations, but I can't recall a case where the floor/ceiling
edge symbols were used for this. They probably have been though, as
it's the same thing in elevation.

> Any leads you can send to me will be most appreciated.

I'll post this to a couple of relevant places to get wider input:
cave-surveying mailing list and uk cavers forum surveying section

----- End forwarded message -----
Wookey
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