The strange spectacle of a balanced rock has left visitors puzzled and sparked stories of giants that may have placed it in its position. However, geologists have a more realistic explanation: glaciers. This is not the first balanced rock discovered, and scientists believe that the glaciers, capable of carrying such a heavy rock with them, left it behind as they retreated northwards over 8,000 years ago. The power of glaciers surpasses even that of giants.
The La Roca Kummakivi in balance is a breathtaking natural wonder discovered in a picturesque wooded area of RuoKolahti, a municipality in the South Karelia region of Finland. This marvel consists of two rocks, one in a precarious balance on top of the other. Despite the upper rock appearing as though it could slide off at any moment, it has never happened. Additionally, if a human were to apply force to the rock, it would not budge in the slightest.
The Strange Kumakivi Balancing Rock of Finland is a unique geological formation consisting of two rocks. The rock at the base has a curved mound shape and is embedded in the earth, with a smooth and convex surface. Resting on top of this mother rock is a giant rock that measures around 7 meters long (22.97 feet). The contact point between the two rocks is quite small, creating the illusion that the upper rock is performing an impossible balancing act. The name “Kumakivi” has been translated to mean “strange rock”.
Even someone who views the Kumakivii’s Rocking Stone for the first time would probably expect the upper rock to roll off at any moment. Nevertheless, the rock is firmly anchored to the bedrock and has not yet been pushed (or even moved slightly) by any human being.
The natural formation in the area must have left the ancient residents perplexed, wondering how this balanced rock could have ended up in such a puzzling position. They may have even attempted to move it with their own hands, but realizing that their physical strength was insufficient to budge the rock, they speculated that a supernatural force must have brought it there.
Aside from providing people with interesting stories, rocking stones have also been utilized for more scientific purposes. In the United States, for example, researchers have used balancing stones as a natural seismograph. Although these rocks do not indicate when earthquakes occurred in the past, they are an indication that the region has not experienced earthquakes strong enough to knock them down.
The information about the amount of force needed to move these rocks can provide details about the magnitude of past earthquakes and the recurrence and intervals of large earthquakes in the area, which would be vital for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. In other words, rocking stones can save lives!
