Earth Pyramids in Northern Italy
September 23, 2011
Photographer: Wendy Van Norden
Summary Author: Wendy Van Norden
The photo above showing the Earth Pyramids of northern Italy (near Ritten, Italy) formed in the silt and clay of a glacial moraine. The clay is rock hard when dry but erodes easily when wet. Boulders left behind when glaciers retreated offer a measure of protection to the underlying clay, resulting in hoodoos that are in some cases 100 ft (30.5 m) in height. The process of erosion is ongoing, so as some pyramids wear away others take shape out of the hillside. Note the similarly shaped onion dome on the church in the mid ground. Photo taken on July 7, 2011.