The "Roccia dell'Elefante" (elephant rock) is a popular sight near Castelsardo.
The Roccia dell'Elefante consists of trachyte, a feldspar-rich rock, which developed in a melt at the roof of a basal magma chamber. If you have a close look you can see the porphyritic crystals and in smaller imperfect rods or laths of the feldspar. In fresh condition trachyte is mid-grey, during decomposition it bleaches out and becomes brighter. The trachyte flow not out as lava, but a stiff melt plug was pushed upward. What you can see today is the remains of such a melt plug formed by wind and weather to its remarkable form.
In the Bronze Age the Roccia dell'Elefante was a cult place for the Nuragic civilization (1800–750 B.C.)
To get credit and claim a "Find" for this EarthCache, name at least two different kinds of feldspar*, one other mineral which can be found in trachyte* and estimate the height of the rock.
A picture of you with the Elefante would be nice.
Send me an e-mail with the answers and your estimation.
Dont' wait for my logpermission, if the answers are incorrect I will contact you!
*answers can not be found on location
