The relief is studied by physical geography.
The relief is formed by everything that protrudes from a flat surface or that modifies it. The concept is usually used to name the elevations and depressions found on our planet .
In this sense, the terrestrial relief includes both the shapes that are visible at the surface level and those that represent accidents on the seabed . The plains , valleys , mountains , mountains , hills , mountains and canyons are part of the relief.
Origin of the relief
There are various processes that determine the origin of the relief of a region. Most are geological processes , either internal or external, such as earthquakes, volcano activity, and erosion caused by water and wind.
Human action can also generate changes in the relief: this is what happens, for example, when man uses explosives to modify the physiognomy of a mountain and open a path or to take advantage of its natural resources through mining.
The outcropping of the relief can be explained from plate tectonics.
under water
It is interesting to mention that the relief also develops underwater. The underwater relief is made up of the irregularities of the terrain that is covered by ocean water.
The underwater relief is formed by the continental shelf (the surface closest to the continent), the continental slope and the abyssal plain . It is possible to find relief features such as the oceanic trench (deep trench) and the oceanic ridge (submarine mountain range ).
Cartography represents relief in different ways.
Types of relief
Returning to the terrestrial relief, various types can be recognized according to altimetry and morphology .
Flat terrain with few irregularities is called plain . The flat but elevated relief is referred to as a plateau , while those areas that stand out from the rest are mountains .
The basin and depression , on the other hand, are types of relief that are characterized by being at a lower altitude than the surrounding areas.
There are other classifications that arise from specific characteristics: a hill , a plateau , a volcano , etc. Issues of topography and geomorphology allow us to specifically name the different manifestations of the relief.
The concept in art
In the field of art and design , the protuberance or prominence that stands out in some type of work or creation is known as relief. A relief painting is not flat, but has different layers or appliqués that protrude from the canvas.
Within the artistic field we can also establish that there are various types of relief, among which the following stand out:
- Hollow relief , in which the figures are represented by incising their contours.
- Sunken relief , which is what is undertaken when the figure to be represented is carved in the same block that serves as its support. Examples of this type can be found at the Egyptian temple of Kom Ombo .
There are also those known as low relief , medium relief and high relief , which establish that the figures represented stand out from the background by less than half, half or more than half, respectively. Among the most significant examples are the bas-reliefs in the temple mentioned above, the existing half-reliefs in the Dender a necropolis and the high reliefs of the spectacular Egyptian sculptural complex known as the Mycerinus Triad .
In addition to all those exhibited, we cannot forget that, throughout the history of art, other reliefs of great beauty and spectacularity have been made, which today are key pieces of this discipline. Specifically, those of the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá , in the Yucatán Peninsula ( Mexico ), stand out in a special way; the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon ; the Gate of Hell made by Auguste Rodin at the end of the 19th century ; the Gate of Paradise that Lorenzo Ghiberti carried out in the 15th century for the Baptistery of Florence ; and those of Trajan's Column .
Highlight as what is important
The idea of relief, finally, can be linked to the significance or importance of a person or an event.
"He is an internationally renowned player who will contribute a lot to our team" y «No one can deny the importance of these events that, without a doubt, will mark the history of this town» son expresiones que evidencian esta acepción del concepto.
As you can see, in this case the concept is subjective. Of course, there may be a consensus or a majority opinion about the importance of someone or something: surely no one would doubt that the Argentine Lionel Messi is a footballer of enormous importance , to mention one possibility.
However, sometimes the relief is brought into discussion. The president of a country can assure that a certain work stands out for its relevance since it will have a great impact on the population. However, many analysts consider that it is a minor undertaking that will not change the lives of any inhabitant.