Monolith 318257 224726883 2008-07-10T03:55:15Z 24.85.64.136 /* South America */ {{Cleanup|date=February 2007}} {{otheruses|Monolith (disambiguation)}} A '''monolith''' is a geological feature such as a [[mountain]], consisting of a single massive [[Rock (geology)|stone]] or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument. [[Erosion]] usually exposes the geological formations, which are most often made of very hard and solid [[metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] or [[sedimentary rock|sedimentary]] rock. The word derives from the [[Latin]] word ''monolithus'' from the [[Greek (language)|Greek]] word μονόλιϑος (''monolithos''), derived from μόνος ("one" or "single") and λίϑος ("stone"). [[image:Mount Augustus by Jan Van Der Hoeven.jpg|300px|right|thumb| [[Mount Augustus National Park|Mount Augustus]] is often claimed to be the largest monolith on Earth]] ==Geological monoliths== The three largest on Earth are: #[[Mount Augustus National Park|Mount Augustus]], in [[Western Australia]] - 860m #[[La Peña de Bernal]], in [[Mexico]] #[[Stone Mountain]], in Stone Mountain Park, [[Stone Mountain, Georgia|Stone Mountain]], a suburb of [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[USA]] Others include: === North America === * [[Beacon Rock]], [[Columbia River Gorge]], [[Washington]], [[United States]] * [[Bottleneck Peak and Moon]], Sids Mountain, [[Utah]], [[United States]] * [[Devils Tower National Monument]], [[Wyoming]], [[United States]] * [[El Capitan]], [[Yosemite National Park]], [[California]], [[United States]] * [[Enchanted Rock]], [[Llano County, Texas|Llano County]], [[Texas]], [[United States]] * [[Haystack Rock]], [[Clatsop County, Oregon|Clatsop County]], [[Oregon]], [[United States]] * [[Looking Glass Rock]], [[Transylvania County, North Carolina|Transylvania County]], [[North Carolina]], [[United States]] * [[Peña de Bernal]], [[Querétaro]], [[Mexico]] * [[Petroforms]], [[Manitoba]], [[Canada]], [[Wisconsin]], [[USA]] * [[Stawamus Chief]], [[Squamish]], [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]] * [[Stone Mountain]], [[Stone Mountain, Georgia]], [[United States]] === Europe === * [[Frau Holle Stone]], near [[Fulda]], [[Germany]] * Humber Stone, [[Humberstone]], near Leicester, England. * [[King Arthur's Stone]] (Cornwall) * [[Logan Stone]] ([[Trereen]], Cornwall) * [[Odin Stone]] ([[Stenhouse]], [[Orkney]]; destroyed in [[1814]]) * [[Natural Park of Peñón de Ifach|Peñon de Ifach]] [[Calpe]], [[Spain]] * [[Rock of Gibraltar]], [[Gibraltar]] === Africa === * [[Ben Amera]], [[Mauritania]] * [[Brandberg Mountain]], [[Namibia]] * [[Aso Rock]], [[Nigeria]] - 400m * [[Zuma Rock]], [[Nigeria]] === Asia === * [[Savandurga]] * [[Gilbert Hill]] === Australia === * [[Bald Rock]], near [[Tenterfield]], [[New South Wales]] * [[Mount Coolum]], [[Queensland]] * [[Mount Wudinna]], near [[Wudinna, South Australia|Wudinna]], [[South Australia]] * [[Kokerbin Rock]], [[Western Australia]] * [[Uluru|Uluru (Ayers Rock)]], [[Northern Territory]], [[Australia]] === South America === * [[Towers of Paine]], [[Chile]] * [[Pao de Acucar]], [[Brazil]] === Antarctica === * [[Scullin monolith]] * [[leargh Rock]] Many of these have legends attached. ==Monumental monoliths== [[Image:Kailash2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Ellora Caves]], temple in [[India]]]] A structure which has been excavated as a unit from a surrounding matrix or outcropping of rock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#monolith |title=Glossary |publisher= is a mountain that is made up of stone and clay }}</ref> * Top stone on the [[Mausoleum of Theodoric]], [[Ravenna]] * [[Aztec calendar]] "Stone of the Sun" * [[Stonehenge]] contains several * [[Ellora Caves]] - [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] * [[Runestone]]s * [[Stone circle]] * [[Standing stones]] * [[Stelae]] * [[Obelisk]]s - see this article for a list * [[Ogham Stone]], [[Dingle Peninsula]], [[Ireland]] * [[Adam and Eve Stones]], [[Avebury]], [[Wiltshire]], [[England]] * [[Manzanar National Historic Landmark]], USA * [[Vijayanagara Empire#Architecture]] medieval South Indian carved examples ==See also== * [[Megalith]] * [[Monolithic architecture]] * [[Monadnock]] (or inselberg) ==Notes== <references/> ==External links== ** Regarding Uluru/Ayers Rock and earlier representations of it as the largest monolith - * http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/landforms/uluru.htm * http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1469595.htm * http://www.wayoutback.com.au/uluru-geology.php [[Category:Geomorphology]] [[Category:Stones]] [[cs:Monolit]] [[da:Monolit]] [[de:Monolith]] [[es:Monolito]] [[eo:Monolito]] [[fr:Monolithe]] [[id:Monolit]] [[it:Monolito]] [[he:מונולית]] [[lb:Monolith]] [[nl:Monoliet]] [[ja:モノリス]] [[pl:Monolit]] [[pt:Monólito]] [[sv:Monolit]] [[tr:Monolit]]