Monolith

From Academic Kids

For the computer game company, see Monolith Productions.
For the Japanese computer game company, see Monolith Soft.

A monolith is a monument or natural feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock. Erosion usually exposes these formations, which are most often made of very hard and solid metamorphic rock.

A common cultural reference is to the Monolith from the book and film 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clark and Stanley Kubrick. These monoliths are a group of artifacts built by an alien civilization. Their purpose is to aid in the development of species. A monolith utilised at the dawn of humankind was a major reason for accelerating and directing the evolution of man to its current level of development.

The word derives from the Latin word monolithus from the Greek word μονόλιϑος (monolithos), derived from μόνος ("one" or "lonely") and λίϑος ("stone").

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the second largest monolith in the world
Enlarge
Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the second largest monolith in the world
Contents
1 Natural monoliths

1.1 North America
1.2 Europe
1.3 Australia
1.4 South America

2 Manmade monoliths
3 See also
[edit]

Natural monoliths

The four largest are:

  1. Mount Augustus, in Australia
  2. Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), in the Outback of Australia
  3. La Pena de Bernal, in Mexico
  4. Stone Mountain, near Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Others include:

[edit]

North America

[edit]

Europe

[edit]

Australia

[edit]

South America

Many of these have legends attached.

[edit]

Manmade monoliths

[edit]

See also

eo:Monolito fr:Monolithe lb:Monolith

Retrieved from "http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Monolith"
Navigation

    Information

    • Home Page (http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php)
    • New Articles (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Special:Newpages)
    • Contact Us (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Contactus)

    Academic Kids Menu

    • Art and Cultures (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Art_and_Cultures)
      • Art (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Art)
      • Architecture (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Architecture)
      • Cultures (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Cultures)
      • Music (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Music)
      • Musical Instruments (http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/List_of_musical_instruments)
    • Biographies (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Biographies)
    • Clipart (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Clipart)
    • Geography (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Geography)
      • Countries of the World (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Countries)
      • Maps (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Maps)
      • Flags (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Flags)
      • Continents (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Continents)
    • History (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/History)
      • Ancient Civilizations (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Ancient_Civilizations)
      • Industrial Revolution (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Industrial_Revolution)
      • Middle Ages (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Middle_Ages)
      • Prehistory (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Prehistory)
      • Renaissance (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Renaissance)
      • Timelines (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Timelines)
      • United States (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/United_States)
      • Wars (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Wars)
      • World History (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/History_of_the_world)
    • Human Body (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Human_Body)
    • Mathematics (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Mathematics)
    • Reference (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Reference)
    • Science (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Science)
      • Animals (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Animals)
      • Aviation (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Aviation)
      • Dinosaurs (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Dinosaurs)
      • Earth (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Earth)
      • Inventions (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Inventions)
      • Physical Science (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Physical_Science)
      • Plants (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Plants)
      • Scientists (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Scientists)
    • Social Studies (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Social_Studies)
      • Anthropology (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Anthropology)
      • Economics (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Economics)
      • Government (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Government)
      • Religion (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Religion)
      • Holidays (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Holidays)
    • Space and Astronomy (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Space_and_Astronomy)
      • Solar System (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Solar_System)
      • Planets (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Planets)
    • Sports (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Sports)
    • Timelines (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Timelines)
    • Weather (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Weather)
    • US States (http://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/US_States)
          Advertisement