Congelada en el tiempo: la base antártica de Douglas Mawson - en imágenes

Hace cien años, Douglas Mawson y sus compañeros exploradores construyeron chozas de madera en el Cabo Denison en la bahía Commonwealth, Antártida oriental, como base para su trabajo científico. Alok Jha y el 2013 Australasian Expedición Antártica revisaron el sitio evocador del viernes , que ha sido cuidadosamente preservada y protegida contra el hielo y la nieve invadiendo 

Mawson's Huts at Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay. The structures are regularly snowed in and require extensive conservation work. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

The roof of the main hut was replaced by the Mawson's Hut Foundation in the late 1990s to prevent the structure from collapsing. The small strips of wood on the outer walls were originally nailed on to keep sailcloth in place to windproof the building. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

Bunks, inscribed with the names of the men who slept there. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

The explorers cherished their designated corner of the hut, naming it after something that reminded them of home. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

A jar of Heinz gherkins sits on the shelf where it was left 100 years ago. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

Without constant attention, snow and ice would slowly consume the structure. The explorers used their socks to stop snow spindrift invading through the cracks in the wood. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

Adélie penguins. “Some people think the huts should just be left there to show the passage of time and eventually end up with a ruin,” says Ian Godfrey, who is leading the conservation of the huts. “I like to think we can do what we can to preserve the fabric of the building itself. Because [this] was the first Australian overseas scientific expedition, it was really critical but it also laid the ground for Australia's entire claim to its 42% of the Antarctic. It's a symbolic thing as much as anything else.” Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian

The Guardian