Mysterious Totem Pole Pops up on British Cliff and No One Knows Who Put It There

Photo: Ian Rickards / Kent Wildlife Trust

Due to their epic proportions and intricate designs, totems are always a sight to behold. And while most designs out there inspire a feeling of magnificence, one that appeared in the UK is also shrouded in mystery. A totem pole has popped on top of a cliff along the southern coast of Britain, and no one knows who made it nor who placed it there.

The Kent Wildlife Trust, a conservation charity, shared the news in a blog post. The mystery totem pole appeared at the nature reserve in Capel-Le-Ferne, and was spotted along a path on the North Downs Way between Dover and Folkestone. According to the Trust, the sculpture is 8 feet tall and was carved from a single tree.

One of the most fascinating features of the mystery totem pole is the carving on one of its sides. The sculpture is inscribed with the name Perkūnas, the Baltic god of sky, thunder, and lightning. As such, locals and staff have begun to call it “Perkūnas the Pole.”

“The artist behind this would have spent hours painstakingly carving out the details and we are keen to keep it on our reserve,” said Ian Rickards, Area Manager at Kent Wildlife Trust in a statement. “The artwork seems to be a hit with the walkers who have taken selfies and congratulated us on the installation, but we had no idea how it came to be there—it’s a ‘Totem’ mystery!”

Despite its unexpected installation, people have grown to love the totem pole, and are hoping to unveil the mystery and get the proper paperwork done to keep it. “The local council has given us eight weeks to submit planning permission and it would be great to track down the person behind ‘Perkūnas to get a bit more detail so we can keep it. The planning application will incur a cost to the Trust, so if anyone would like to make a donation to help fund the process, it would be gratefully received.”

If you want to help the Kent Wildlife Trust with the costs of keeping “Perkūnas the Pole” in the reserve, you can make a donation on their Facebook page. In the meantime, only time will tell if the artist behind the totem pole will come forward or even better—if more of these monumental works will appear elsewhere.