random question about rocks + cool rock pics

[rong]

Does anyone know anything about rocks?
The following pics are from Hampi in India from last year. The rock formations there are crazy, with giant boulders ranging in size from like a car up to the size of a small block of flats, leaning against each other or precariously balanced on top of each other. I don't get how they got in to these positions as some are way to big to be moved. Googed it but didn't find much. I think there are similar formations elsewhere in the world. Anyone got any ideas how these kind of landscapes form and how the bolders end up in such strange positions?

Two giant rocks leaning against each other:



Same pic but with a person in it to show how big the rocks are.



See how they're propping eachother up???



This one shows a wider view of the landscape:

[a500lbgorilla]

In the first two pics, I'm wondering if you remove the under one, would the over topple?

[kiwiMark]

I'm no geologist, but that looks like a case of Falling.

[a500lbgorilla]

The crack looks like it's caused from being smashed into. Remove the crack and the under, I think it stands.

[boost]

Im pretty sure the answer is glaciers. but not 100%

[rong]

Just saw another random example when I was googling it:

http://chitralekhan.files.wordpress....hill-hampi.jpg

[a500lbgorilla]

Oh, I was assuming the rocks were both anchored by the crust. If glaciers dumped those fools there never mind.

[boost]

Oh, I was assuming the rocks were both anchored by the crust. If glaciers dumped those fools there never mind.

I say glacier because the grain of the rocks not only doesnt run horizontal, but they are also not parrellel to each other. When titonic plates slowly push rock up on angles, all the rock has its grain on the same angle, here they look like they just kinda tumbled and landed where they landed. So its either a glacier or space aliens imo.

[a500lbgorilla]

[boost]

ha, I laughed out loud.

btw, the last pic def screams glacier. all sorts of rubble gets embedded and sunk into the base of a glacier as it grinds its way across the landscape. When the glacier stops advancing and eventually melts, you could imagine how these precariously balanced boulders could be left behind..

[rong]

That does make a lot of sense. There's no way they could have been moved by man and/or beast (way too big) and they have been there for ages. Cheers Boost.

Is there similar looking stuff in death valley?

[flomo]

pegmatite dykes

[rong]

Apparently this can't be due to glaciers due to the way they move and the area it is in. Explanation went over my head but I believed it.

Makes the whole thing more confusing, I just don't get it, but it's pretty dam cool and I kinda like the fact that nobody can explain it.

[bigred]

pegmatite dykes

That would have to be one strong lesbian...

[bigred]

Oh, and it was obv God that did this...ezgame

[boost]

Apparently this can't be due to glaciers due to the way they move and the area it is in. Explanation went over my head but I believed it.

Makes the whole thing more confusing, I just don't get it, but it's pretty dam cool and I kinda like the fact that nobody can explain it.

and the plot thickens!

[rong]

I have found a feasible theory (shoud anyone care).

It's possible the entire area was once under water, and ocean currents could be responsible for moving the large rocks and dumping them in random and bizarre ways. Was surprised to hear that part of central India was once under water though, but I'm no expert.

[wufwugy]

I have found a feasible theory (shoud anyone care).

It's possible the entire area was once under water, and ocean currents could be responsible for moving the large rocks and dumping them in random and bizarre ways. Was surprised to hear that part of central India was once under water though, but I'm no expert.

The Flood

[rong]

As in the guys from Halo? Were they real?

Or do you mean the thing with the animals and the ark?

[drmcboy]

dinosaur forts obv

[wufwugy]

[BennyLaRue]

Those aren't like, rocks, man. Those are metaphors.

They're metaphors for like, people, man.

[BennyLaRue]

Oh, nevermind, I Googled the real answer:

Hampi is believed to be the mythical monkey kingdom. And there was a bitter power struggle going on between the princely brothers, Sugreeva and Vali. In a pitched battle Vali defeats Sugreeva and chases him out of the kingdom. The frightened Sugreeva took refuge at the Matanga hill (the tallest hill in Hampi ) as Vali can’t climb it thanks to a curse on him.

Rama , the king of Ayodhiya , reaches Kishkinda in search for his abducted wife, Sita. Hanuman, the monkey general finds Sita in Lanka (Sri Lanka) in custody of the demon king Ravana. Vali offers help of his monkey army to attack Lanka and free Sita. In return Rama helps him to kill Vali and regain the throne of the monkey kingdom.

The battle between Vali and Sugreeva was so intense that the boulders threw at each other piled up all around Hampi. In another version of the story, the monkey army piled up the boulders here to build a bridge to Lanka. That helped the monkey army to march to Lanka.

Rishikukh Hill, a popular spot among the boulderers as “Hampi Island” is believed to be the place where Hanuman first met Rama and his brother Lakshmana.

According to the myths the place south of Rishimukh (across the river) is the place where Rama crowned Sugreeva, after killing Vali. A temple called Kodanda Rama Temple stands at this place.

The Anjaneya Hill, with the characteristic whitewashed zigzag stairs to the top is believed to be the birthplace of Hanuman.

So, there you go...Monkey Generals and Demon Kings.

[rong]

It's kinda cool stuff. Good to read when you're out there looking at it. The two giant rocks leaning against each other are supposed to be two sisters who said something derogatory about Hampi and were then turned into rocks as punishment. Harsh times man!