The Al Naslaa stone block was divided in half by a line cut thousands of years ago, as precise as using high-tech machinery.

The world has many strange destinations that arouse the curiosity of tourists and researchers. One of them is the Al Naslaa stone block located in Tayma oasis, Saudi Arabia, with a supposedly perfect cut using modern laser techniques to divide the stone in half and mysterious drawings on the surface.

Since the stone block weighing hundreds of tons was discovered in 1883 by Charles Huver, up to now no one has been able to explain the origin of the cut or when it existed and whether this is a natural phenomenon or not. .

Each half of the rock block is about 7m high, balancing on a smaller rock below. Many people speculate that this structure causes vibrations from the ground to be suppressed, helping the stone stand firmly for thousands of years.

Currently, no one clearly understands the meaning of the mysterious drawings and characters on the surface of the stone block. According to archaeologists, the oldest records about the Tayma oasis date back to the 8th century BC. The carvings and hieroglyphs here may refer to Tayma being part of an important overland route connecting the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula and the Nile valley.

The back of the Al Naslaa rock is not as flat as the front. It is estimated to be up to 10,000 years old. There are currently two opinions on the formation of the Al Naslaa rock massif. Some people believe that this is a natural phenomenon, vibrations in the ground cracking the rock in half. Other opinions say that this is the work of a vanished civilization with a high level of technology. Although there is no satisfactory answer, this rock still attracts thousands of tourists to the Tayma region every year.

Al Naslaa Rock in 2021.

As for the base the rock sits on, they are quite common in desert areas, sometimes called mushroom rocks based on their shape. They often result from weathering due to faster winds near the ground, more abrasion of rocks there, or glacial action as rocks move to balance on top of other rocks.

Due to the nature of sandstone, Al Naslaa rock is not too strong, so it is affected by weathering and human impacts. It’s possible that ancient civilizations created the strange rock sculpture as a geographical landmark, an area of religious significance, or an example of early art.