- Kuklica
Kuklica or "village of stone Dolls" is a small village in
Republic of Macedonia , well known by numerousearth pyramids in human and animal forms. The village is of sparse type, with several groups of houses "mala", accounting overall about 100 inhabitants.Geographic location
Kuklica is located 8 km northwest from Kratovo. It is known by natural phenomena of characteristic erosive landforms called "earth pyramids", "earth pillars" or "stone dolls". These landforms are find on the right side of Kriva River valley, at the 415-420 m altitude, extend over area of 0.3 sq. km. Here are two types of earth pyramids: large (up to 10 m tall), individual
earth pillars in the central part, and smaller (3-5 m tall), clustered earth pillars on theZabel Mount sides. Latest, because of their frequency are linked in the base. Earth pillars has interesting morphology. They look like human silhouettes, or "fossilized newlyweds", so local people call them "Jolly Wedding".Formation of earth pyramids in Kuklica
Aside of mystic stories and legends, earth pyramids in Kuklica are formed as a result of natural erosion processes in
Holocene , during last 10000 years. Specific volcanic lithology of the area is main factor for landform creation. Thus, soft tuff rocks in the base are overlay by solid, sturdy andesites and ignimbrites on the top. Andesites and ignimbrites, destructed by weathering, has role of "protection cope", protecting the tuffs in the base from water erosion. In such way, year by year increased mushroom like landforms — typical earth pyramids. Same time they was modified and modeled byweathering .ignificance
Earth pyramids with typical shape are rare geomorphic phenomena. On larger extent they are present in Capaddocia in Turkey, Djavolja Varos in Serbia etc. From that point of view, Kuklica pyramid's represent real natural rarity for Republic of Macedonia and this part of Europe. So in the future this geomorphosite must be protected, kept in mind vulnerability of the area and great human impact.
References
*"Earth pyramids in Kuklica-near Kratovo". Geographical review No. 35., Milevski I., Skopje, 2000
ee also
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Stone town of Kuklica
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