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Agassiz
Rock, Edinburgh
Agassiz Rock is located on the south side of Blackford Hill in Edinburgh.
Comprising an overhanging cliff of andesite lava, the rock has grooved and
striated surfaces and is of considerable historical importance.
A view of Agassiz Rock.
Over the years natural erosion has removed
much of the ice smoothed and striated surface of the rock. However, the
rock's importance for its part in the development of the glacial theory in
Scotland
remains.
Image provided by Scottish Natural Heritage.
Its significance stems from its association with Louis Agassiz a famous Swiss
naturalist, who during a visit to Scotland in 1840, attributed the striations
on the rock surface to the effects of the passage of glacier ice. Agassiz and
the striated lava of Blackford Hill are therefore key elements in the introduction
of the glacial theory in Scotland. Agassiz Rock was also one of the first geological
sites in Scotland to be conserved.
Part
of the smooth and grooved rock surface at Agassiz Rock,
which has been attributed
to glacial abrasion. The form of the rock surface bears a
stong resemblance to glacially abraded surfaces elsewhere in Scotland and
in modern glacial environments.
Image provided by Scottish Natural Heritage.
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