Gallery: I See Rock People: Mimetoliths of the World
01grey-man-of-merrick
Rocks weather and erode into all sorts of shapes that the imagination can interpret as familiar objects. Like clouds, these rock formations, sometimes called mimetoliths, may look like different things to different people. But some are unarguably humanoid. We've collected some great examples of rocks that look like human faces or heads from all around the world for this gallery. Some look like queens or presidents, and some are quite famous, like New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain. But we know there are a lot more out there, so if you know of good examples (or even better, have a good photo of one), let us know. __Above and below:__ The Grey Man of Merrick ----------------------- The Grey Man of Merrick sits at the base of Merrick mountain in Scotland's Galloway Forest Park. The man is a mimetolith within a mimetolith, as Merrick is the index finger in the Range of the Awful Hand. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/rock-people-gallery/grey_man_merrick/) *Photos: 1) [telstar01](http://www.flickr.com/photos/33675248@N08/4629242379/)/Flickr. 2) [scotsnapster](http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotsnapster/4938318691)/Flickr. Homepage photo: [Ben Cannon NZ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/murphyflair/2447284247/in/pool-429100@N24/)/Flickr.*
02nixon-rock
Nixon Rock ---------- More officially known as Goosehead Rock, this formation is near what is known as Geology Vista Point on the Sky Island Scenic Byway near Mount Lemmon outside of Tucson, Arizona. You can definitely see a resemblance to Richard Nixon if you want to, but there are undoubtedly better rock representations of the president. If you've got a photo of one, let us know. *Photo: [Cliff Gibbons](http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturalwundur/4179638753/)/Flickr*
03sleeping-giant
Sleeping Giant -------------- The face of a reclining man is unmistakable on this stretch of the Absaroka Range near Livingston, Montana. The [Sleeping Giant Middle School](http://www.livingston.k12.mt.us/sgms/site/default.asp) takes its name and logo from the prominent formation. In this shot, taken by Terry Taylor from the town's golf course, the face is especially clear with a blanket of snow and slight shadow. *Photo: [Terry Taylor](http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdino/2433875956/)/Flickr*
04snake-hill
Snake Hill ---------- This unnamed face, located in Secaucus, New Jersey, on what is known as [Fraternity Rock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Hill), is largely hidden from view. It's part of a 150-million-year-old volcanic intrusion that was heavily quarried in the 1960s and is now covered in graffiti. "I went to take photos at a park on the bottom of this hill, and by just walking around I noticed a face on the cliff," photographer Noli Novak wrote in an e-mail to Wired.com. "I don't think it's a 'famous' face. It's turned away from the N.J. Turnpike which passes by the hill on the other side, so maybe that's the reason why many don't notice it, but to me it was unmistakable." *Photo: [Noli Novak](http://www.flickr.com/photos/noli/1439231314/in/pool-accidental-hidden-faces-in-the-natural-world#/photos/noli/1439231314/in/pool-64639411@N00/ )/Flickr*
Doug Kliewer05nefertiti
Nefertiti --------- The massive Entrada sandstone that makes up much of the rock faces along the Park Avenue trail in [Arches National Park](http://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm) near Moab, Utah, often erodes and breaks into pillars and other odd shapes. From some angles, the balanced rock at the top of the cliff face pictured above looks like Queen Nefertiti's famous profile (close up below). Other [odd-shaped formations in the area](http://www.adventureroad.com/Parks/Arches/Arches.htm) include the Three Penguins, the Three Gossips, Queen Victoria, Sausage Rock (also known as the Popsicle, among other things), the Courthouse Towers, Sheep Rock, the Lovers, the Phallus, the Poodle and Owl Rock. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/?attachment_id=54642) *Photos: 1) [Doug Kliewer](http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbkliewer/4855213958/)/Flickr. 2) [Frank Kovalchek](http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/5242960734/)/Flickr.*
06queens-head
The Queen's Head ---------------- One of several rocks around the world that resemble the famous bust of Nefertiti, the Queen's Head is the most famous rock in Taiwan's [Yehliu Geopark](http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw/ENG/landscape/Sight_en.aspx). The queen is among many odd rocks in the area, formed as the sea eroded soft sedimentary rock. Because the layers of rock vary in hardness, some are eroded more quickly, which results in strangely shaped formations. The park also has rocks that look like candles, mushrooms, ginger root, a dragon's head, a lion's head, bean curd, a bird, an ice cream cone, a sandal, a peanut, a camel, an elephant, a geisha, chicken drumsticks, a pig's leg, a parrot, a carp, an old man's head, a turtle and a gorilla. *Photo: [saikofish](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lou/193138839/)/Flickr*
07old-man-of-the-park
Old Man of the Park ------------------- This image was taken sometime between 1887 and 1892 near Sundance, Wyoming, by the early American western photographer John C. H. Grabill. It is part of a [great collection](http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?st=grid&co=grabill) of 188 of his photographs held by the Library of Congress. We think the man in the rock looks a bit like JFK, but we know there are better rock likenesses of the president out there — Hawaii, Egypt, more? If you've got a good picture, let us know. *Photo: [Library of Congress](http://international.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?intldl/mtfront:@OR%28@field%28NUMBER+@band%28cph+3b25619%29%29%29)*
James P. Walsh II08old-man-of-the-mountain
Old Man of the Mountain ----------------------- New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain was one of the most famous rock faces. The Old Man's profile was one of the state's most iconic images, even appearing on the New Hampshire quarter and a 1955 stamp representing the state, until it collapsed in 2003. The formation jutted out from Cannon Mountain in the White Mountains, but water freezing and thawing inside the cracks in the face eventually did it in, despite the state's efforts to hold it together with chains, cement and steel rods and protect it with a plastic covering. *Photo: [James Walsh](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcbwalsh/5496263179/)/Flickr*
09indian-nose
Indian Nose ----------- This ridge that resembles the reclining profile of an Indian is among the volcanic peaks that ring [Lake Atitlan](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/phytoplankton-blooms-gallery/2/) in Guatemala. Local tour guides lead hikes starting at 4 a.m. to watch the sunrise from the tip of the nose. A recent trip to the area is what inspired this gallery. *Image: Betsy Mason/Wired.com*
10la-palma
La Palma -------- This formation on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands definitely benefits from alignment with cliffs behind to resemble a speaking man, but we couldn't resist. The islands are all volcanic, so the face is likely made up of basalt. "While walking and exploring the coastline I stopped at the cliff face. Being closer to the cliff a human-like face appeared in front of me," said photographer Jana Carga in an email to Wired.com. "Taking photo of it was a natural step as it was very fascinating for me." *Photo: [Jana Carga](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jannaya/293112622/)/Flickr*
