Pylon

From The Archive, the curated record of the world of Insignia

Lattice towers that once broadcast insignia

Pylon

Elevation of the Seventh Lamp of Halden
Pylon
Also called	Lamp, tower
Height	40–120 m
Known sites	49 (7 in Halden)
Active	1 (contested)
Operation
Broadcasts	Insignia
Keepers	Lantern Guild
Fell silent	The Dimming

A pylon (often simply a lamp) is a lattice tower of dark metal that once broadcast insignia across the land around it. Pylons stand in loose groups of seven. Nobody knows who built them, and no new pylon has been raised in recorded history.

Structure

Every known pylon tapers from a broad square base to a narrow crown, where a single lamp-housing sits above the last cross-bar. The lattice is made of a metal that does not rust and cannot be cut with any tool the guild possesses. Pylons do not appear to be joined or welded; the lattice is continuous.

Broadcasting

Before the Dimming, a pylon’s crown would light at irregular intervals — sometimes daily, sometimes once a decade — and broadcast a single insignia to one person or place within sight of it. Guild records list more than eleven thousand broadcasts from the pylons of Halden alone.¹

The lamps were never seen to light for anyone who asked.

The seventh lamp

The seventh pylon of Halden stands apart from the other six on the hill above the old harbour. It is the only pylon reported to have lit since the Dimming, a claim made by guild apprentice Ines Varo in 212 PD and disputed by the guild.

Recordings

Guild members sometimes film pylons at night in the hope of catching a broadcast. No recording has ever shown one.

Play

References

Appearances

This entry appears in the following works:

• Gallery The Seventh Stair — Digital painting
• Gallery Survey of Halden — Map, ink and dots
• Gallery Elevation of a Lamp — Technical drawing
• Gallery Pylon Field — Digital study
• Film Signal Test ( 01 ) — 7:44

Linked from: Halden · Ines Varo · Insignia · Lantern Guild · The Dimming