#acacus

[mytravelsandotherstuff]

Tadrart Acacus, Libya - December 2008

Incredible arches, gorges, and rock formation of the Tadrart Acacus region (plus cars for size comparison).

This place forever stole my heart.

[earthstory]

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_ _

[mytravelsandotherstuff]

Tadrart Acacus, Libya - December 2008

Rock art from the UNESCO World Heritage Site. These paintings date from 12,000 BCE to 100 CE.

[blackmambo]

ACACUS #acacus #libia #eos #throwback #wherethehell https://www.instagram.com/p/BydgwjECb3T/?igshid=18a3i7wqx5tx1

[myrdoodles]

Character belongs to Acacus

[adnam-omar]

The warriors Cave Art @ Akukus mountains -Libya #warriors #warrior #rockart #caveart #acacus #akakus #acacusmountains #libya #libyandesert

[stefanschuetz-fotofilm]

Omar, cook - Libya. *Pictures out of my book "Views of Africa" published in 2010 - a trip off the beaten tracks trough 21 African countries. 60.000 km from Munich to Cape Town.* Visit my website: www.stefanschuetz.com/views-of-africa #africa #toyota #landcruiser #explore #adventure #adventureofalifetime #offthebeatentrack #offthebeatenpath #munichtocapetown #lifetimetrip #picoftheday #africaoverland #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #canon #travelphotographer #dust #sand #dunes #acacus #dessert #sahara #libya (hier: Libya)

[leo-ananda]

International Pano Awards by Marsel van Oosten Via Flickr: This morning I was informed that I have won First Prize in the International Pano Awards with my image 'The Lone Tuareg' that you see here. Another entry called '180 Degrees of Death' won a Special Award, scoring the most points for stitched images. 'The Lone Tuareg' was shot in the Acacus desert in Libya. Needless to say I'm very pleased with the results, especially considering the extremely high level of the entries. To see all the winning images, check out the Pano Awards website: thepanoawards.com/2016-winners-gallery/ Marsel WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM ©2016 Marsel van Oosten, All Rights Reserved. This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.