The valley of Souli in Epirus

Description

Featured in the 1836 collaborative work of Thomas Allom and Robert Walsh, this steel engraving depicts the Valley of Souli, known for its steep and rugged geography in the Epirus region. While the composition centers on the deep valley and the majestic rocks surrounding the legendary river Acheron, a monumental defense structure built on the peak of the cliff stands out in the background. In the foreground and midground, local people are illustrated traveling with pack animals on narrow paths carved into the mountain slopes, aesthetically documenting the sociological and physical resilience of the continuously functioning historical transportation and caravan network despite the region's seemingly impassable and daunting topography.