Detail of one of the Pyramides d'Euseigne
Close up of one of the Pyramids of Euseigne. These extraordinary towers were formed from soil and rock debris that was carried by glaciers and dumped when the glaciers melted at the end of the last Ice Age approximately 80 000 years ago. Here, the debris carried by two separate glaciers merged in the middle to form a moraine that was compacted under huge pressure from the ice on both sides. This made it as hard as concrete. Nevertheless the moraine still eroded slowly as a result of the action of the rain. However, where a larger rock rested on it the rock protected the material beneath it like a cap. As a result the moraine on either side gradually eroded away leaving the protective rock cap resting on a tall pillar. The Pyramids at Euseigne are 10 to 15 meters high and the protective boulders weigh up to 20 tonnes.
Size: 3427px × 5150px
Location: Euseigne, Valais, Switzerland
Photo credit: © Alistair Scott / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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