MIMETOLITHS: Rock People you may Recognize
Have you ever been out in the mountains quite alone and had a feeling that “someone” was staring at you? Perhaps that someone was a rock…
A “mimetolith” is the name given to a rock formation that has weathered in such a way as to resemble a human. Commonly, human faces are recognizable, and in some mountain ranges the entire bodies of former kings or gods can be discerned. Our ability to see a recognizable face in a pile or rocks is called "pareidolia." It’s thought to be due to our brain’s long experience in recognizing patterns, most importantly human faces, with minimal data.
Locals give names to these mimetolith formations and they nearly always have some story behind them that ties the geology into local legend. The Agrapha Mountains of Central Greece boast “The Sleeping Beauty” and she surely is! Scotland is home to The Grey Man of Merrick. Arizona hosts many mimetoliths but one is named Nixon Rock for its resemblance (sadly for the rock) to the ex-president. Perhaps one of the most famous (or infamous) mimetoliths is the view of the human face visible in the 1976 photograph of the hills of Cydonia on Mars (http://tinyurl.com/oslcla4).
The spectacular photo accompanying this post is from Acacus Mountain in southern Libya. This mimetolith not only has a commanding demeanor, but a twinkle in his eye as well. I’d love to hear what he has to say about his geological attitude…
Annie R
This photo, by Bashar Shegtila, is shared courtesy of the Geology of Libya: https://www.facebook.com/GeologyOfLibya
Great collections of photos of humanesque rock formations at: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/rock-people-gallery/ http://blog.insureandgo.com/sights-and-smells/2012/05/5-rocks-that-look-a-bit-like-people/#.UlEMclCnqgt Why we see human faces even on Mars: http://io9.com/5953993/what-makes-us-see-jesus-in-a-taco-or-a-human-face-on-mars_ _
