Weathering Forms
The Latmos is part of the Menderes-Massif, one of the most ancient massifs of Turkey. This region was vaulted upward to mountains, for the last time since the Tertiary. In its core the Latmos consists of highly metamorphic, presumably Precambrian rocks, granite and gneiss (augengneiss). The erosion structures which are typical for this rock in regions with semihumid subtropical climate are of unusual prominence in the Latmos and confer to the mountains their distinctive shape. Sometimes they look like animals - turtles (1. 2), lions (3), elephants (4), monkeys (5), reptiles (6), morays (7), ducks (8), dogs (9), fishes (10) and monsters (11. 12) - or like antique theatre masks (13), head of a pasha in profile (14), of an old man (15) or of a witch (16).
The interior of the rock boulders is often completely hollowed out. Furthermore the surfaces of the cave's interior are sometimes weathered in different spots which are partly framed by padded edges (17. 18). In these fascinating structures the power of the local mountain god is manifested according to the belief of the ancient peoples.
Because of these extraordinary rock formations the Latmos should be protected and declared as a nature park.
The Latmos is part of the Menderes-Massif, one of the most ancient massifs of Turkey. This region was vaulted upward to mountains, for the last time since the Tertiary. In its core the Latmos consists of highly metamorphic, presumably Precambrian rocks, granite and gneiss (augengneiss). The erosion structures which are typical for this rock in regions with semihumid subtropical climate are of unusual prominence in the Latmos and confer to the mountains their distinctive shape. Sometimes they look like animals - turtles (1. 2), lions (3), elephants (4), monkeys (5), reptiles (6), morays (7), ducks (8), dogs (9), fishes (10) and monsters (11. 12) - or like antique theatre masks (13), head of a pasha in profile (14), of an old man (15) or of a witch (16).
The interior of the rock boulders is often completely hollowed out. Furthermore the surfaces of the cave's interior are sometimes weathered in different spots which are partly framed by padded edges (17. 18). In these fascinating structures the power of the local mountain god is manifested according to the belief of the ancient peoples.
Because of these extraordinary rock formations the Latmos should be protected and declared as a nature park.
1) Turtle
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