Natural or Man-Made? The Balanced Rock Formations of Jos Plateau, Nigeria
I recently travelled to Jos Plateau in Central Nigeria and encountered intriguing rock formations that challenge easy explanation. Massive boulders sit balanced on smaller stones, defying what one would expect from natural processes.
What I Observed
On the Jos Plateau, numerous sites display identical configurations: large boulders perched precariously atop smaller base rocks, with minimal contact points. Local people consistently answer that these formations are natural. But the physics present problems.
The Physical Problem
If these boulders fell from above onto smaller stones, the kinetic energy at impact would shatter the base rock or cause the upper boulder to roll off. Objects don't fall at speed and land in perfect balance. The impact force alone would prevent the stable configurations we observe.
One possible natural explanation: the rocks were once buried under thick layers of earth, gradually exposed as erosion or diluvial rains washed away surrounding material. But even this scenario requires the upper boulders to remain perfectly balanced as supporting soil disappeared from beneath them—an improbable outcome.
The Pattern Problem
The decisive observation: this isn't an isolated phenomenon. The same improbable configuration appears repeatedly across multiple sites on the plateau. Natural processes don't typically produce identical results in different locations. One balanced rock might be coincidence. Dozens suggest pattern.
Possibilities
If these are human constructions, they demonstrate sophisticated understanding of balance, centre of gravity, and leverage techniques. Ancient peoples moved massive stones using simple tools—rollers, levers, ramps. The engineering knowledge existed.
The questions remaining: When were these created? By whom? For what purpose—ceremonial, territorial markers, astronomical alignments?
The repetition across sites suggests intentional placement. The physics of natural formation present significant problems. Whether the answer lies in catastrophic erosion or ancient engineering, these formations warrant closer investigation than casual attribution to natural accident.
