Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 30

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the region.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here. 

Ice Cream Cone, Chavoshi, Bushehr Province, Iran.

A remarkably balanced rock in the shape of an ice cream cone. It was must have been shaped by the sand erosion due to frequent sandstorms. Perhaps some geologist can tell us more about this amazing formation.

Image from Google Maps is by Mehrnaz Mir

View in Google Maps / Google Earth

Credits: Thanks are due to syzygy, Master Cartographer and Moderator of Google Earth Community Forums  who informed me about this rock.

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 29

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location. 

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here. 

Hanging Stone, Ergaki National Park, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia.

Since glacial ages tens of thousands of years ago, this massive rock has remained stable in this amazing position on the verge of a precipice, defying gravity and the efforts of many persons/groups to dislodge it from time to time.

The rock is probably remnant of an Ice Age glacier which eventually receded leaving it hanging above a 1000 metre abyss. The remarkable rock has barely one square metre of contact area with the rock-face on which it is precariously balanced.

Image from Google Maps is by HDR 4K

Image from Flickr is by Alexander Dementyev

View location in Google Street View / Google Earth

More info and some good photos: siberiantimes.com

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 28

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Kannesteinen Rock, Oppdal, Måløy, Norway

A mushroom rock with a slender stack created by constant lashing of sea waves for thousands of years. The rock is made of eclogite.

As per atlasobscura.com "Depending on the angle (and the viewer’s imagination), the mushroom rock may take the shape of a goblet, a leafy stem, a wonky heart, a statue of a mushroom cloud, or a lopsided whale tale bursting through the surrounding stones."

Image from Flickr is by Jim Skovrider

Image from Google Maps is by Per Magne Rundereim

View location in Google Street View (Photosphere)

More info: Rocks around the World

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 27

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Mushroom Shaped Balancing Rock, White Desert, Farafra, Egypt

A massive chalk rock formation in the shape of a giant mushroom. Sandstorms are quite common in this area and this mushroom shaped rock is a  classic example of ventifact - a stone shaped by the erosive action of wind-blown sand.

Image from Flickr is by Banco de Imágenes Geológicas

Image from Flickr is by Jason Miller (skilledadventurer.com)

The area is full of remarkable rocks and some of them including another mushroom rock can be seen in an older post titled "Sculptures in White Desert"

View location in Google Maps. Location based on information given in Flickr.

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 26

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balancing Rock, Chillagoe, Queensland, Australia

A spectacular limestone outcrop at Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park also known as "Hanging Rock". The 18.3 Meters (60 ft) tall rock is delicately balanced on another rock. The rock is located in midst of spectacular karst landscape.

Image from Flickr is by rjcox

Credits: I am thankful to syzygy - A very active member of Google Earth Community Forum for bringing this amazingly balanced rock to my knowledge.

View location in Google Maps / Google Earth

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 25

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Giant Mushroom Rock, Hala-'l Badr, Saudi Arabia

A large unusually balanced rock in the Hala-'l Badr Volcanic Region, Saudi Arabia. Hala-'l Badr is a dormant volcano on the northeast corner of the Thadra table mountain in the al Jaww basin and there are many geological features in this area. No information is available about this rock but it is amazing to see such a large volume (and mass) supported on a narrow pedestal. Any information about this rock will be appreciated.

Interestingly many scholars and authors have advocated equating Mt. Sinai with Hala-'l Badr. (Source: Wikipedia)

Image from Google Maps Photos is by فارس الخيال

Credits: I am thankful to syzygy - A very active member of Google Earth Community Forum for bringing this balanced rock to my knowledge.

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps

---

Read more...

Ancient Megalith With Laser Cut?

Al Naslaa is an amazing megalith on the outskirt of Tayma oasis in north-western Saudi Arabia.

Amazing feature of this megalith is that it has a very precise vertical split in its middle, as if it has been cut with some modern tool like a laser beam. The two pieces of the stone have a gap of only few centimetres and remarkably each of these two massive pieces are precariously balanced on very small base.

In addition to the vertical split, one side of the stones is very smooth with Petroglyph and Hieroglyphics markings on it.

Discovered in 1883, it has remained a mystery stone till date, with theories about its origin ranging from natural phenomenon to extraterrestrials or use of some advanced technology by some lost race.

Most of the geologists however are of the opinion that it is a natural phenomenon caused either by slight subsidence of one of the two supports or by erosion of fault at the divide.

A very plausible explanation from ancient-origins.net;

"Geologists who have examined the fracture say that it was probably formed when the ground beneath it was offset, causing the rock to split apart. It has also been suggested that it could be an old fault line. The rock material near faults tends to become weakened and erodes more easily. As sand blew into the cracks of the rock over the ages, this material may have been more rapidly eroded than the surrounding sandstone, resulting in the fracture."

Tayma has a long history of settlement and the area is archaeologically rich. May be some day some finding can prove beyond doubt about the origin of this amazing megalith.

Image from Flickr is by Chien Hung

The megalith as seen from other side.

Image source: programacontactoconlacreacion.blogspot.com

Based on the height of the person standing in the following image from IndoCropCircles.com the rock's height could be at least 6.5 metres (21 feet), if not more.

Petroglyphs and Hieroglyphics on the smooth surface;

Image from Flickr is by Chien Hung


Source of info and more info and images;

• saudi-archaeology.com has a high resolution Gigapan zoom-able picture
• ternyata.id (In Indonesian) (English Translation)
• ancient-origins.net
• indocropcircles.wordpress.com (In Indonesian) (English Translation)

View location in Google Maps / Google Earth

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 23

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

Devils Marbles (aka Karlu Karlu) Conservation Reserve, near Warumungu, Northern Territory, Australia is a stunning landscape full of gigantic rounded granite boulders, many of which are precariously balanced on top of another rock. Natural processes of weathering and erosion have taken millions of years to created many boulders of amazing shapes from the remains  of molten lava.

Most famous of these boulders are two precariously balanced round boulders, which are also called "Devil's Marbles". Besides these two rocks there are other round rocks also in the region hence the name Karlu Karlu which is an Aboriginal term for round stones.

Image from Pixabay is by pen_ash

Image from Flickr is by Tim Whitlow

Some other Amazingly Balanced Rocks in the Conservation Reserve

Image from Flickr is by Tim Whitlow

Image from Pixabay is by pen_ash

Image from Flickr is by Paul Coddington

Image from Flickr is by Rita Willaert

This one is ready to roll over but has remained steadfast for millions of years.

Image from Flickr is by Andy Tyler

Image from Flickr is by Werner Bayer

Nature's perfect clean cut in two halves.

Image from Pixabay is by pen_ash

Source of info and more info: Wikipedia / N.T. Government Fact Sheet (pdf)

View location in Google Earth / Google Street View

---

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 22

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breath-taking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here

The Torcal Screw

El Tornillo Del Torcal (meaning The Torcal Screw) is an stunning and amazingly balanced stack of rocks formation in the alien looking landscape of El Torcal Nature Reserve, situated in the  Sierra del Torcal mountain range south of Antequera, Spain. The karst landscape of the area is a geologist's paradise and is full of impressive rock formations and the Torcal Screw is one of the most prominent and famous rock of this area. It perhaps derives its name from Archimedes' Screw.

Image from Panoramio is by Edmundo Sáez Peña

Image from Flickr is by Miradas de Andalucía

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps

---

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 21

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rocks, Zapolyarny District, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia

Some areas of the Zapolyarny District, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia, are full of large number of odd shaped rocks created by wind/water erosion and/or glacial melting.

Thanks to the information provided the syzygy, Expert Cartographer, Google Earth Community Forums, I was able to locate two Amazingly Balanced Rocks. No information is available about these rocks. I am also not aware if any name has been given to these rocks or not. However in order to identify these rocks I have taken the liberty of naming these rocks based on their shape.

The Rocks are;

1. Chicken Leg Rock

Image from Panoramio is by IgorNK

View location in Google Earth Google Maps. (Location based on Panoramio image)

2. Ice Cream Cone Rock

Image from Panoramio is by sergunt

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps (Location based on Panoramio image)

Credits: I am always on lookout for such amazingly balanced rocks around the World am thankful to syzygy, Expert Cartographer, Google Earth Community Forums who informed me about these rocks.

---

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 20

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rock, Rocky Mountain National Park

An amazingly balanced mushroom-shaped rock on the north side of Lumpy Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park. Precariously balanced atop a slender plug of rock that sits on a gigantic boulder, this amazing rock has been sculpted by wind erosion and glacial action of over millions of years. Because of its shape the rock is aptly named "Balanced Rock" and it lies at the end of a trail which is also named after it. The rock can be accessed via Cow Creek Trail or Gem Lake Trail.

It's actual dimensions are not known however as per eptrail.com; "The upper part of this unusual granite formation is the size of a shed standing on its base about three stories high."

Image from Panoramio is by Ed Ogle

Image from Google+ is by Toshen Golias

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps

Credits: I am always on lookout for such amazingly balanced rocks around the World and came to know about this rock through Google+ post by Toshen Golias. I am thankful for him for allowing me to use the above image from his album.

---

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 19

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Thor's Hammer, Bryce Canyon, Utah

This amazingly balanced rock known as "Thor's Hammer" is a spectacular and classical example of a Hoodoo rocks. A geological name for tent rock or fairy chimney. Such rocks are tall, thin spires of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland and were created due to of erosion processes whenever relatively hard rock overlays softer more erodible rock, such as sandstone.

Thor’s Hammer is approximately 46 metres (150 ft) tall and is one of most famous of the several Hoodoo rocks found at the Bryce Canyon national park.

Image from Flickr is by ccho

Image from Flickr is by DragonWoman

Image Source: Google Street View

Image from Flickr is by Wenjie Qiao

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps and Street View

Source of info: Earth Picture of the Day / Wikipedia

---

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 18

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rock, Idaho

This precariously balanced rock South of Buhl City in the Salmon Falls Creek Canyon, Idaho, USA is truly amazing. The wind-carved rock which is over 14.6 metres (48 feet) tall, 12.2 metres (40 feet) wide and weighs about 36 Tonnes (40 tons), balances delicately but firmly on a very small rocky pedestal, which is only 0.9x0.45 metres (3x1.5 feet).

Image from Flickr is by Nicholas D.

Image from Flickr is by Gerry Slabaugh

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps and Street View

Source of Information: visitidaho.org

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 17

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rocks of Hyderabad, India

Nature has gifted Hyderabad with a magnificent landscape of amazing rock formations. Being at the heart of the Deccan Plateau in Southern India, the rocks in the region, mostly granite, are about 2,500 million years old and are amongst the oldest and hardest rocks in the world. Weathering effect of several million years resulted in splitting and rounding of the stones into amazingly balanced and picturesque rock shapes. Geologist call this phenomenon - onion peel weathering (or spheroidal weathering).

There are innumerable rock formations of varied shapes in whole of Deccan Plateau including Hyderabad and surrounding area. In this post I am showcasing only few of these Amazingly Balanced Rocks.

Rock at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus

Image from Google Maps is by Gireesh Kumar

View Location in Google Street View

Rock near the Celebrity Club Shamirpet

Image from Flickr is by { pranav }

View Location in Google Street View

Miscellaneous Other Rocks




Location of these Rocks are presently not known. I request my readers to please help me in identifying locations of above three rocks.

Note: Hyderabad is full of such amazing rocks and presently I have showcased only a very minuscule sample. I will be grateful if my readers can send me photographs and locations of other balanced rocks for inclusion in this blog. I understand that land developers are gradually destroying this amazing natural landscape and my endeavour is to at least preserve these in pictorial format for posterity.

In this reference I want to make a special mention of Ms. Frauke Quader a German born lady now settled in Hyderabad. Dismayed by indiscriminate destruction of the natural and environmental heritage of the area, she along with a group of artists, photographers and environmentalists from Hyderabad formed in 1992 a Non-Governmental Organization - Society to Save Rocks. The society's main aim is to create awareness amongst the public, landowners, developers and the government for the protection of this rocky landscape.

Further Reading - Official Website of Society to Save Rocks - www.saverocks.org

Credits: I am thankful to;

• Pranav for sharing his image under creative commons licence and helping me in identifying the location of the Rock near the Celebrity Club Shamirpet
• Ms. Frauke Quader for sending me some of the images from her collection.

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 16

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rock, Garden of the Gods

This amazingly balanced rock is located in the "Garden of the Gods" public park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Being easily accessible it is a  popular tourist spot.

Image from Flickr is by M.V. Jantzen

Image from Flickr is by Jasen Miller

Balanced rock as seen from the other side. The rock on the left is called "Steamboat Rock" because of its shape which resembles a ship.

Image from Wikimedia Commons is by Ahodges7

Image from Flickr is by Dr Kashik

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps and Street View

Source of info: Wikipedia

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 15

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Mexican Hat, Utah

"Mexican Hat" is an amazingly balanced rock off the US highway US-163 in Utah. The 18 metres (60 feet) wide and 3.7 metres (12 feet) thick, almost flat rock, perched on a much smaller rock, derives its name from its sombrero (Mexican hat) like shape. Because of its fame, a small nearby town, south-west of the rock, also bears the same name - Mexican Hat.

Image from Flickr is by MadAboutCows

Image from Flickr is by Ron Schott

Image from Wikimedia Commons is by Averette

View location in Google Earth / Google Street View
(Exact location source: geocaching.com)

Credits: Harry who brought this amazing rock to my notice. Thank you Harry.

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 14

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here.

Balanced Rock near Ben Amera Monolith, Mauritania

The Ben Amera in Mauritania is one of the largest monolith in the world. It is located close to the border with Western Sahara and the whole area is littered with rocks of varied sizes. Amongst these rocks is this amazingly balanced rock. Although most of the balanced rocks around the world are known by some identifying name, however this rock has no name (or atleast I couldn't find it).

Image from Panoramio is by mabut (Click on the image to enlarge it)

The incredible balance of this rock can only be visualised in its enlarged view. The wind swept sand and mabut's composition have further enhanced it. The Ben Amera monolith can be seen in the background.

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps

Credits: I am thankful to;

• Syzygy who brought this to my notice. He has made many great posts in the Google Earth Community including about Hungarian National Parks
• mabut for allowing me use of this image here.  His collection in Panoramio include some fantastic images.

Thank you Syzygy and mabut.

Read more...

Amazingly Balanced Rocks Around the World - 13

The balanced rocks are a geological formation created due to wind/water erosion or glacial melting. These precariously balanced rocks are wonder of the nature and to a viewer it looks that these would topple by a gentle human push or a wind force. However most of these rocks have remained steadfast for past several thousand years though some were vandalised and pushed over. To some scientists these rocks are a sign of seismic stableness of the location.

This post is part of the series about these awesome and breathtaking rocks around the world. List giving links to individual rocks can be seen here and a combined big page showing all the rocks can be viewed here..

Krishna's Butterball, Mahabalipuram

Mamallapuram (aka Mahabalipuram) a tourist town 60 km south of Chennai, India is famous for its stone carvings which dates back to the Tamil Pallava dynasty in the 7th-9th century. These structures carved out of granite rocks, are among the oldest existing examples of Dravidian (South Indian) architecture.

One of the most famous rock here, created by nature and not by any human hand, is a precariously balanced natural rock known as Krishna's Butterball. This giant rock is perched on a stony mound seemingly in defiance of the law of gravity. Reportedly the kings in ancient times had tried to dislodge it using elephants but failed.

Image from Flickr is by Prince Roy

Image from Flickr is by georgikeith

Image from Flickr is by Tracy Hunter

Image from Flickr is by Andy Hay


View location in Google Earth  Google Maps

Source of info: mahabalipuram.co.in

Credits:  I am thankful to Soulituder for informing about this precariously balanced rock. Thank you Soulituder!

Read more...