Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Have you ever looked at clouds and imagined dogs, elephants, or dragons? Have you noticed faces or creatures in the knots and holes of a tree trunk? If so, you have experienced pareidolia, the ability to see meaningful shapes or patterns in everyday objects.
Most of us experience pareidolia at some level. Certain rocks and minerals, called mimetoliths, have shapes and colors that may be interpreted as faces, animals, or other forms. Visitors to the Crater of Diamonds often make a pastime of collecting mimetoliths, adding a whole new level of excitement to diamond searching!
Stones with rounded, organic shapes are more likely to be mimetoliths. Jasper is one of the most common types found at the park. Small, white jasper are often compared to teeth, while large, brown ones are regularly called potato rocks, due to their bulbous, spud-like appearance.
Color arrangements also inspire mimetolithic interpretation. Bands of red, green, and white can combine to create scenic landscapes in sandstone or agate. Diffused spots of manganese often appear as fossilized ferns or trees in volcanic ash.
Weathering is an ever-changing process that creates and destroys mimetoliths over time. Cracks and holes worn into jasper may combine to form the head of a frowning gorilla. The rough, broken edges of sandstone might look like a face in profile. Over time, natural erosive processes continue to shape and change features in rocks and minerals,...
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