Secret Behind Led Zeppelin's 'Stick Man' Album Cover Revealed

Mystery Behind Led Zeppelin's Iconic Album Cover Unraveled

The enigmatic figure known as the "Stick Man" on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1971 album "Led Zeppelin IV" has been identified after decades of speculation. This revelation comes from the Wiltshire Museum, located in England, which confirmed the man as a thatcher from the late Victorian period.

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It turns out that the thatcher depicted is Lot Long, who was born in 1823 and lived a humble life as a widower in the small town of Mere, Wiltshire. His life journey ended in 1893.

The discovery was made by Brian Edwards, a visiting research fellow at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), who stumbled upon the original black and white photograph that bore the inscription “A Wiltshire Thatcher”.

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Edwards highlighted a unique aspect of the photograph, a thumb print in the corner, during an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire, lending credibility to its authenticity.

The image was part of a Victorian photo album identified as “Reminiscences of a visit to Shaftesbury. Whitsuntide 1892. A present to Auntie from Ernest.” This album featured over 100 architectural and street views, as well as several portraits of rural workers.

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Edwards, an avid Led Zeppelin fan, expressed his hope that this discovery would bring joy to the remaining members of the band, "Robert, Jimmy, and John Paul."

The picture, with its newfound meaning, was first encountered in color by the band’s lead singer Robert Plant in an antique shop. Interestingly, the image adorned the cover of Led Zeppelin IV without the band's name or any words.

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The album has been a monumental success, selling more than 37 million copies around the globe.

Consequently, the image of the elderly man gripping a long stick and shouldering a bundle of twigs etched itself into popular culture.

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Reflecting on the theme, Wiltshire Museum's director, David Dawson, found it compelling how Led Zeppelin extended the contrasts of rural and urban life into the album's artwork 70 years on.

Next spring, this original Victorian photograph, along with a collection from that era, will be showcased at the Wiltshire Museum.