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Up until the 19th century, the word Cappadocia was oblivious to most of the World. It was understood, perhaps as a religious hotspot in Asia Minor that was cited in the Bible - St Peter's foremost letter is preached to the Cappadocians. However today, the hotspot of Turkey near Urgupand Goreme is known to tourists and wanderers of the world as a natural wonder that, spectacular in itself, also has an incredible twist.
In the most bizarre of fairy-tale hotspots, come conical and some pyramids of rock mount from devoid valleys. Many taper unevenly to pinnacles as high as 150ft as though sloppily built or left before they were completed. There are posts and stony outcrops, too, of every conceivable size and shape. A supernatural colour scheme - pink, rich cream, pale blue, red, or grey - makes the setting even more otherwordly.
To add to the Cappadocians' otherwordly features, rocks and cones dotted here and there are topped with bobbles or slabs of black stone. Manly look like peculiarly shaped mushrooms, while some look like concealed figures sporting caps inclined at irregular bends. In some locations, rocks and cones are dotted in a slipshod way over the ravine floors; in some other places, cones lengthen away in assembled ranks. According to the local fable - a mythological illustration of their origins - surrounded by a ravaging army, the innocent people beseeched to Allah, who turned their assailants to stone.
Cappadocia's bizarre rock statues stand on a tableland overlooked by the extinct forgotten volcano - Ercitas Dagi. This 11,848ft (3597m) peak was the origin of the cones' construction material. Tens and thousands of years ago it exploded violently, tossing out hot lava and ash that dropped over a wide area.
The cooled ash solidified and toughened to form a viscous blanket of hard, white gravel soft enough to toil with a blade. Since then the solidified mass of hot lava has been battered by wind, rain, and snow. Periodic showers have cut meandering valleys and canyons and have then devoured their sides to leave pyramid-shaped and uneven conical hills and other stone and cone formations.
The volcano's outbursts created some coatings of hard tuff so hot that they soldered as they fell - producing stronger forms of tuff rock, which are mainly dark in colour.
Human Touch
As if the otherworldly natural wonder were not outlandish enough, further amazement is in store for the sightseer and travellers. The hills, and the ridges of the valley sides, have entrances, doors windows carved into them.
Up until the 19th century, individuals made their residences in rooms cut out of cliffs and conical hills. According to experts, the occupancy might have begun as early as 3000 BC, with tribes and communities tunnelling the cliffs and widening the natural caves.
Around 1800 BC, Hittites in large numbers emerged from the east. It must be then the cave dwellers began to tunnel downwards, constructing underground refuges that later evolved into expansive subterranean cities.
