There are certain rock formations that look so much like a human face or a person that it becomes a mystery whether one is just looking at a natural rock formation or the work of an ancient artist. Let us explore some of them

It is interesting and eerie at the same time how the ordinary and everyday things that we see sometimes become extraordinary and intriguing. There are many places around the world with ancient writings on stones and rocks inside caves or mountains, made by the people who lived there. But there are certain rock formations that look so much like a human face or a person that it becomes a mystery whether one is just looking at a natural rock formation or the work of an ancient artist?

In the Western Isles of Scotland, the Callanish circles of stones are also an enigma.

One researcher, Martin McCarthy, who studied the circles in detail, found in one of the images taken of the stones, a reasonably clear picture of a head or face of a person which has clear lines showing a half-turned face. Is this too just the result of “seeing too much into” a rock?

Then we have the ancient Avebury rock complex, which is not far from Stonehenge. Terence Meaden in his book Secrets of the Avebury Stones: Britain’s Greatest Megalithic Temple, writes about the hidden secrets and meanings of these huge ancient monuments. Here too, there are supposed to be faces, which have been carved into the sarsen rock, which is formed of silicon-based stone.

Archaeologists think that the faces might be of people who lived at that time. The case in favour of these being carved by people and not a result of natural erosion is that this kind of rock is pretty hard and withstands the passage of time well without being subjected to change due to harsh weather conditions.

Do the faces represent the living entities that probably lived four to five thousand years ago, looking down on us for thousands of years? In California, United States, there are the El Cajon Mountains. The rocks here look like some long ago race of aliens or ancient people carved faces on the rough and jagged rocks.

Profile of a human head carved by aliens? The most interesting insight to say the least.

Driving along the beautiful New Hampshire countryside years ago, yours truly was told by her eldest brother to look out for The Old Man of the Mountain. Peering from between the trees, perched on a cliff face was a rock formation that looked like an old man. The State Park pamphlet clearly stated that there was a certain spot along the route where one should look up to see The Old Man of the Mountain. Here they even had a picture of the said rock, a famous tourist attraction.

Is it really a rock carving or a shape that is natural? No one knows.

Closer to home, the road from Karachi to Gwadar is a real treat for nature lovers. The rugged and jagged rocks add to the beauty of the ride. And to add to the unique landscape we have a series of rock formations halfway through the route. One shape of rock clearly looks like a girl standing looking out. A tourist from the West has named it “The Princess of Hope”. And the suitable name has been given to this intriguing piece of rock. But that is not all.

There are several rocks that have made quite a few people exclaim in wonder and awe as to how much they resemble human faces. The locals do not know anything about the strange looking rocks. The land has been home to many people in the past. It is believed that Alexander the Great also passed through here. The ancient King Chandragupta also ruled here for many years.

Even though archaeologists and historians try to find clues to the origin of these interesting shapes hewn or cut into rocks naturally or by design, it is difficult to come to any acceptable conclusion. But these rocks are old. Older than time, as are the other mountains around the world.

Are these ‘rocks of ages’ past telling us something? If only they could talk.