Giants Causeway Landscape
by Lexa Harpell
Title
Giants Causeway Landscape
Artist
Lexa Harpell
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
Ireland Rocks Series by Lexa Harpell.
Iconic Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. Now managed by the National Trust and one of Northern Ireland's major tourist attractions.
One of natures marvels caused by an ancient volcanic eruption around 50-60 million years ago, creating an area of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns.
Mostly hexagonal in shape with some with 4,5,7,8 sided. They form 'stepping stones' from the cliffs to under the ocean. the tallest is about 12 metres in height.
It is so fascinating walking around and over these stone formations created by nature, marveling at its creation.
Of course it rained all day - it is Ireland after all. Actually I was blown off my feet a few times as the winds howled through the area, yet did not deter me to capture these amazing sights.
The Legend: 'According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), from the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic mythology, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner.[9] In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realises that his foe is much bigger than he. Fionn's wife, Oonagh, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the 'baby', he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Fionn could not follow.[10] Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal's Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.' *Wikipedia
Geology: 'During the Paleocene Epoch, Antrim was subject to intense volcanic activity, when highly fluid molten basalt intruded through chalk beds to form an extensive lava plateau. As the lava cooled, contraction occurred. Horizontal contraction fractured in a similar way to drying mud, with the cracks propagating down as the mass cooled, leaving pillarlike structures, which are also fractured horizontally into "biscuits". In many cases the horizontal fracture has resulted in a bottom face that is convex while the upper face of the lower segment is concave, producing what are called "ball and socket" joints. The size of the columns is primarily determined by the speed at which lava from a volcanic eruption cools.[7] The extensive fracture network produced the distinctive columns seen today.' *Wikipedia
Uploaded
November 28th, 2016
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