Thursday, November 29, 2007

Decorated Manhole Covers



From Wikipedia:

A manhole cover is a removable plate forming the lid over the opening of a manhole, to prevent someone from falling in and to keep unauthorized persons out.

Although the covers are too large to be collectible, their ubiquity and the many patterns and descriptions printed on them has led some people to collect pictures of covers from around the world.

Despite their weight and cumbersome nature, manhole covers are sometimes stolen, usually for resale as scrap, particularly when metal prices rise.


The top pic looks like a hand to me. Below - as if someone put this manhole cover in a playpen. Wonder what it means?

8 comments:

Lynne said...

Before I started to read the first pic looked just like a hand to me, then I read further and discovered you thought so too!

As for the other ... a playpen ... hah! ... I like that!

Steve Reed said...

I'm glad to see a few examples from your manhole collection. (You're right - who thought up that name??)

Don't feel obligated to write. Even posting just a picture or two is a terrific way to communicate. We out here in blogland just like to hear from you, one way or another. :)

cs said...

That hand is doing something naughty in the top picture. As for the bottom one, I can only guess it's a plan for a future snowball fortress with its own escape hatch.

Bobby D. said...

something you don't see in the country at all--but manholes are all over the place in cities. I always feel sorry for the men climbing in and out of them. Another crappy job.

Barbara said...

After taking the tour of the Paris sewers and seeing that movie about all the weird people living in the NYC underground, I'm always leery of what lies beneath those manhole covers. I think there is a world under there that I would prefer to remain covered.

Bobby D. said...

weird--just after I read this post there were two manhole fires in the village.

Gary said...

I saw a sign on the side of the road recently that read "Caution: Raised Manholes". I wanted to take a picture but it went by so fast. This post made me think of that.

Have a nice day. :)

Reya Mellicker said...

Barbara - That's why they're so heavy. To keep the dragons, etc. in the subterranean realms!

Remember a couple of years ago when underground explosions that could not be explained kept blowing manhole covers several feet in the air? Georgetown is so deeply haunted.