Editing Monolith

{{short description|Stone block made of one single piece; object made of one single rock piece}}
{{Other uses|Monolith (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
[[File:012 035 Ile Mingan Niapiscau.jpg|thumb|Niapiskau island, limestone monoliths, [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]], [[Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve]], [[Canada]]]]
[[File:Uluru, helicopter view, cropped.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Uluru]], [[Northern Territory]], [[Australia]], is often referred to as the biggest monolith. While the surrounding rocks were eroded, the rock survived as sandstone [[stratum|strata]] making up the surviving Uluru 'monolith'.]]
[[File:Monolithos 1.jpg|thumb|[[Monolithos, Greece|Monolithos fortress]] on [[Rhodes]], [[Greece]]]]
[[File:Brand hires trimmed.jpg|thumb|[[Landsat 7]] image [[Brandberg Mountain]], [[Namibia]]]]
[[File:Gávea.jpg|thumb|[[Pedra da Gávea|Gavea Rock]], a monolith next to the sea, near [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]]]]
A '''monolith''' is a geological feature consisting of a single massive [[rock (geology)|stone]] or rock, such as some [[mountain]]s. [[Erosion]] usually exposes the geological formations, which are often made of very hard and solid [[igneous rock|igneous]] or [[metamorphic rock]]. Some monoliths are [[volcanic plug]]s, solidified lava filling the vent of an extinct [[volcano]].

In architecture, the term has considerable overlap with [[megalith]], which is normally used for [[prehistory]], and may be used in the contexts of [[rock-cut architecture]] that remains attached to solid rock, as in [[monolithic church]], or for exceptionally large stones such as [[obelisk]]s, statues, [[monolithic column]]s or large [[architrave]]s, that may have been moved a considerable distance after quarrying. It may also be used of large [[glacial erratic]]s moved by natural forces.

The word derives, via the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|monolithus}}, from the [[Ancient Greek]] word {{wikt-lang|grc|μονόλιθος}} ({{transliteration|grc|monólithos}}), from {{wikt-lang|grc|μόνος}} ({{transliteration|grc|mónos}}) meaning "one" or "single" and {{wikt-lang|grc|λίθος}} ({{transliteration|grc|líthos}}) meaning "stone".

==Geological monoliths==
Large, well-known monoliths include:

=== Africa ===

* [[Aso Rock]], Nigeria
* [[Ben Amera]], Mauritania
* [[Brandberg Mountain]], Namibia
* [[Sibebe]], Eswatini
* [[Zuma Rock]], Nigeria
* [[Mount Lubiri]], Angola
* Mount Poi, Kenya
* [[Great Sphinx of Giza]]
* [[Oruku Rock]], Ososo, Edo State, Nigeria

=== Antarctica ===
* [[Scullin monolith]]

=== Asia ===
[[File:Savandurga.jpg|thumb|[[Savandurga]], India, from the northern side]]
[[File:Sanglahill.JPG|thumb|[[Sangla Hill]], Pakistan]]
*[[Batu Caves]], [[Selangor]], [[Malaysia]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lee|date=31 January 2018|title=A Guide To The Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/malaysia/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-iconic-batu-caves-in-malaysia/|access-date=11 December 2020|website=The Culture Trip}}</ref>
*[[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
*[[Gilbert Hill]], [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
*[[Kailasa temple, Ellora|Kailasa temple]], [[Ellora Caves|Ellora]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
* [[Namakkal Fort]], [[Namakkal]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
* [[Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort|Malaikottai]], [[Tiruchirappalli|Trichy]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
* [[Parangimalai|St. Thomas Mount]], [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
*[[Bellary Fort]], [[Bellary]], [[India]]
* [[Madhugiri]] Betta, [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
* [[Yana, India|Yana]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
* [[Bhongir, Telangana]], [[India]]
* Ekasila, [[Warangal]], [[India]]
* [[Mount Kelam]], [[Indonesia]]
* [[Mount Pico de Loro]], [[Philippines]]
* [[Mount Pulumbato]], [[Philippines]]
* [[Sangla Hill]], [[Pakistan]]
* [[Savandurga]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
* [[Sigiriya]], [[Sri Lanka]]

=== Australia ===
* [[Bald Rock National Park|Bald Rock]], near [[Tenterfield, New South Wales]]
* [[Mount Augustus, Western Australia|Mount Augustus (Burringurrah)]], Western Australia (NOTE: this is not actually monolith as popularly claimed, but, rather, a [[monocline]])
* [[Mount Coolum National Park|Mount Coolum]], Queensland
* [[Mount Wudinna]], South Australia
* [[Pine Mountain (Victoria)|Pine Mountain]], Victoria
* [[Uluru]], Northern Territory

=== Europe ===
[[File:Peñon de Ifach-2009.jpg|thumb|[[Natural Park of Penyal d'Ifac|Penyal d'Ifac]], Spain]]

* Kalamos, [[Anafi]], [[Greece]]
* [[Katskhi pillar]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
* [[Levski G.]], [[Sofia]], [[Bulgaria]]
* [[Logan Rock]], [[Treen (St Levan)|Treen]], [[Cornwall]], [[United Kingdom]]
* [[Monolithe de Sardières]], [[Sollières-Sardières]], [[France]]
* [[Natural Park of Penyal d'Ifac|Penyal d'Ifac]], [[Calpe]], [[Valencian Community]], [[Spain]]
* [[Peña de Arcos]], [[Arcos de la Frontera]], [[Andalusia]], [[Spain]]
* [[Peña de los Enamorados]], [[Antequera]], [[Andalusia]], [[Spain]] (a World Heritage Site)
* [[Rauk]], [[Sweden]]
* [[Rock of Gibraltar]], [[Gibraltar]]
* [[Rock of Monaco]], [[Monaco-Ville]], [[Monaco]]
* [[Rock Cappa]], [[San Luca]], [[Italy]]

=== North America ===

==== United States ====
[[File:Beacon rock.jpg|thumb|[[Beacon Rock State Park|Beacon Rock]], Washington, viewed from the west]]
[[File:El Capitan in 2010.jpg|thumb|El Capitan in Yosemite]]
* [[Angels Landing]], Zion National Park, Utah
* [[Beacon Rock State Park|Beacon Rock]], [[Columbia River Gorge]], Washington
* [[Bottleneck Peak]], Sids Mountain, Utah
* [[Pineville, West Virginia|Castle Rock]], Pineville, West Virginia
* [[Chimney Rock National Historic Site|Chimney Rock]], Bayard, Nebraska
* [[Chimney Rock State Park|Chimney Rock]], Chimney Rock, North Carolina
* [[Courthouse and Jail Rocks]], Bridgeport, Nebraska
* [[Devils Tower]], Wyoming
* [[El Capitan]], Yosemite National Park, California
* [[Enchanted Rock]], Llano County, Texas
* [[Frog Woman Rock]], Mendocino County, California
* [[Great White Throne (mountain)|Great White Throne]], Zion National Park, Utah
* [[Half Dome]], Yosemite National Park, California
* [[Haystack Rock]], Clatsop County, Oregon
* [[Looking Glass Rock]], Transylvania County, North Carolina
* [[Moro Rock]], Sequoia National Park, California
* [[Quincy Quarries Reservation]], Quincy, Massachusetts
* [[Scotts Bluff National Monument]], Gering, Nebraska
* [[Shiprock]], San Juan County, New Mexico
* [[Stone Mountain]], Stone Mountain, Georgia
* [[Stone Mountain (North Carolina)|Stone Mountain]], Stone Mountain, North Carolina
* [[Tooth of Time]], Cimarron, New Mexico
* [[Wolf Rock, Oregon|Wolf Rock]], Linn County, Oregon

[[File:stawamus sharp.jpg|thumb|[[Stawamus Chief]] as seen from Valleycliffe neighborhood in [[Squamish, British Columbia]]]]

==== Canada ====
* [[Stawamus Chief]], Squamish, British Columbia
* [[Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve#Photos|Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve]], [[Quebec]]<ref name="The Canadian Encyclopedia">{{cite web |title=Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mingan-archipelago-national-park-reserve |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=12 January 2024 |date=3 January 2015 |quote=Oddly shaped rock pillars sculpted by wind and sea create the unique islandscape of the natural reserve}}</ref>' <ref name="Mingan Archipelago Parks Canada">{{cite web |title=Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve |url=https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/qc/mingan/nature/conservation/protection |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=10 January 2024 |date=19 November 2022|quote=Several animal and plant species present on the islands of the Mingan Archipelago and the surrounding landscape are endangered or at risk}}</ref>' <ref name="National Geographic">{{cite web |author1=Michael Melford photograph |title=Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve |date=6 July 2011 |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/mingan-archipelago-canada-park |publisher=National Geographic |access-date=10 January 2024|location=Quebec, Canada |quote=close to a thousand islands and islets sprinkled along 93 miles from east to west, 24,711 acres}}</ref>' <ref name="Canadian Geographic">{{cite web |author1=Zach Baranowski, photograph |title=The Mingan Archipelago |url=https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-mingan-archipelago-a-land-shaped-by-time/ |publisher=Canadian Geographic |access-date=10 January 2024 |location=St Lawrence golf |quote=the shoreline at low tide reveals seemingly endless tide pools full of barnacles, green sea urchins, sea stars and other small invertebrates.}}</ref>

==== Mexico ====
* [[La Peña de Bernal]], [[Queretaro]]; claimed to be the world's third-largest monolith<ref name="Mexico Desconocido">{{cite web
 |last        = López Domínguez
 |first       = Leonor
 |title       = Villa de Bernal and its Magic Mountain
 |publisher   = México Desconocido #291
 |url         = http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/contenidos/home.html?p=nota&idNota=8897
 |date        = May 2001
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150313212946/http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/bernal-pueblos-magicos-de-mexico.html
 |archive-date = 13 March 2015
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.de-paseo.com/Bernal/Bernal.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061027040930/http://www.de-paseo.com/Bernal/Bernal.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2006 |title=Peña de Bernal - Bernal - Queretaro |access-date=25 November 2008 |language=es }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Carrillo |first=Raul |title=Let's Go Mexico: On a Budget |publisher=Macmillan |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-312-37452-5 |editor-last=Northrop |editor-first=Laura Cava |page=370 |editor2=Curtis |editor-first2=Dwight L. |editor3=Sherman |editor-first3=Natalie}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Recetario del semidesierto de Querétaro: Acoyos, rejalgares y tantarrias |last=Escobar Ledesma |first=Agustín |year=1999 |publisher=Conaculta |isbn=978-970-18-3910-2 |page=75 }}</ref>
* Las Piedrotas, near the town of [[Tapalpa]], Jalisco.

=== South America ===
[[File:Elpenolantioquia.JPG|thumb|[[El Peñón de Guatapé|El Peñón]], monolith in [[Colombia]], located in [[Antioquia Department|Antioquia]]]]

* [[El Peñón de Guatapé|El Peñón]], also known as El Peñol Stone or simply La Piedra, Colombia
* [[Pão de Açúcar]], Brazil
* [[Pedra da Gávea]], Brazil the world's largest monolith on the coastline
* [[Pedra da Galinha Choca]], Brazil
* [[Torres del Paine]], Chile

=== Outside Earth ===
* [[Phobos monolith]] on [[Phobos (moon)|Phobos]]
* [[Mars monolith]]

==Monumental monoliths==
{{See also|list of ancient architectural records#Monoliths|l1=list of ancient architectural records|list of ancient monoliths|list of largest monoliths in the world}}

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
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100101092351/http://art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#monolith
 |archive-date = 1 January 2010
}}</ref>
* [[Aztec calendar stone]] – "Stone of the Sun"
* The [[Church of Saint George, Lalibela|Church of Saint George]] in [[Lalibela]], Ethiopia, is one of a number of monolithic churches in Ethiopia.
* The vast monoliths which went into the walls of [[Osaka Castle]], Japan.
* [[Coyolxauhqui Stone]] another Aztec monolith
* [[Ellora Caves]] – [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]
* [[Great Sphinx of Giza]] – "The Egyptian Sphinx"
* [[Gommateshwara statue]] of [[Bahubali]] at [[Sravanabelagola]], [[Carnataca]], India
* [[Obelisk]]s – see this article for a list
* [[Ogham inscription|Ogham stones]], inscribed standing stones throughout Ireland
* [[Runestone]]s
* [[Standing stones]]
* [[Stelae]]
* [[Stone circle]]
* [[Stone of the Pregnant Woman]], Baalbek
* [[Stonehenge]] in present-day [[England]]
* [[The Longstones]] or the Devil's Quoits, Avebury, Wiltshire, England
* [[Architecture of Vijayanagar]] in present-day [[south India]]

==See also==
{{portal|Geography}}
{{div col}}
* [[List of individual rocks]]
* {{annotated link|Granite dome}}
* {{annotated link|Bornhardt}}
* {{annotated link|Inselberg}}
* {{annotated link|Butte}}
* {{annotated link|Kigilyakh}}
* {{annotated link|Megalith}}
* {{annotated link|Menhir}}
* {{annotated link|Monadnock}} (or inselberg)
* {{annotated link|Monolith (Space Odyssey)}}
* {{annotated link|Monolithic architecture}}
* {{annotated link|Monolithos (Rhodes), Greece|Monolithos (Rhodes)}}
* {{annotated link|Utah Monolith}}
{{end div col}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Monoliths}}
* Regarding Uluru/Ayers Rock and earlier representations of it as the largest monolith: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070206021953/http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/landforms/uluru.htm GA.gov.au], [http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1469595.htm ABC.net.au], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205024718/http://www.wayoutback.com.au/uluru-geology.php Wayoutback.com.au]

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[[Category:Monoliths| ]]
[[Category:Sandstone]]
[[Category:Geomorphology]]
[[Category:Geography terminology]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures| ]]
[[Category:Rock formations| ]]