Al Naslaa Rock Formation, Saudi Arabia
There are many natural occurrences that might puzzle a traveler. One
of them is Al Naslaa Rock Formation, located in Tayma oasis, Saudi
Arabia. Recent archaeological discoveries show that Tayma has been
inhabited since the ancient times.
Al Naslaa is one of the most
photogenic petroglyphs in the area. The perfect slit between the two
standing stones and the flat faces are completely natural. Note the
small pedestals supporting the boulders. How long will they remain
balanced here? How did the cut in the middle happen?
Most likely the ground shifted slightly underneath one of the two
supports and the rock split. Could be from a volcanic dike of some
weaker mineral that solidified there before everything was exhumed. Or,
it could be an old pressure crack (you see a parallel crack just to the
right of it) that has been pushed/pulled apart some. Or, it could be an
old (minor) fault line, since fault motion often creates a zone of
weakened rock that erodes relatively easier than the surrounding rock.
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