"Topoliths"

"Topoliths" , Eroded shale, Falkland Islands

A few years we discovered a location in the Falkland Islands where the ground is littered with these wind-carved pebbles of shale/slate. Because of the layering, and the incessant wind, these stones erode into wonderful "topographic" shapes, akin to the contours of topographic maps. (I particularly like the "map" of California above, app. 4 inches long).  Because of their similarity to contour maps, we call them "topoliths."

We have dozens of these remarkable little stones.  Let us know if you'd be interested in having one.