trovants...the world of the living stones

Cu 6 milioane de ani inaintea nasterii marelui sculptor Constantin Brancusi, natura isi crea, nu departe de locul lui natal, propriile „Domnisoare Pogany”. Li se spune trovanti, dar numele care s-a incetatenit in randul localnicilor este „pietre care cresc”.

O lume de piatra
In apropiere de drumul care leaga Ramnicu Valcea de Targu Jiu, in comuna valceana Costesti, natura a creat unele dintre cele mai surprinzatoare sculpturi de piatra. Forme bizare, milimetrice sau de dimensiunea unui om, continua sa iasa la iveala pe masura ce oamenii exploateaza nisipul din cariera. In jurul balatrucilor sau dorobantilor, cum ii mai numesc localnicii, s-a tesut un adevarat folclor: unii spun ca bolovanii ar avea origini supranaturale, altii ca ar fi marturii ale existentei unor civilizatii extraterestre superioare. Cert e ca nici oamenii de stiinta nu au reusit, pana acum, sa desluseasca in totalitate misterul formarii trovantilor, si tot ce pot face, deocamdata, este sa emita ipoteze pe care sa incerce sa le verifice in laborator. Ei sustin că formatiunile, numite in literatura de specialitate si concretiuni grezoase, ar avea peste 6 milioane de ani vechime si ar fi aparut datorita unor cimentari locale ale nisipului, posibil pe fondul unei activitati seismice.

Trovants or concretions, also known as "growing stones", are geological formations found in sand accumulations and sandstone deposits cemented by waters rich in calcium carbonate. Trovants grow spontaneously from the center to the periferics - with a deposition rate of about 4-5 cm in 1200 years. They appear as mineral units, nodular, spherical or cylindrical with massive, concentric or plain structure ranging from a few millimeters to several meters.

The term Trovant is specific to the Romanian geological literature and was introduced first by the naturalist Gh. M. Murgoci in this work "The Tertiary in Oltenia".The trovants, also known as "growing stones", are geological formations found in sand accumulations and sandstone deposits cemented by waters rich in calcium carbonate. They appear as mineral units, nodular, spherical or cylindrical with massive, concentric or plain structure ranging from a few millimeters to several meters. The trovants have a hard stone core, but their shells are made of sand. They trovants represent a cementation in the reservoir of sand that contains them in various shapes, some of the very strange. 6 million years ago there was a sedimentation basin here. The sand reservoir was formed as a consequence of the successive sedimentation of detritic material, transported by rivers from the continent. Along with this sediments, from the water get accumulated chemical substances in excess (carbonates). The, over the first beds of sand the sedimentation continues and the sand get compressed under the beds above. the water is eliminated through the empty spaces between the sand particles, that get pressed. Trovants grow spontaneously from the center to the margins - with a deposition rate of about 4-5 cm in 1000 years. Trovants can be found in Romania at two locations in Vâlcea County. The first location is a sand quarry on the left side of DN67, before the entry in Costeşti village. On an area of 1100 m2 there are several trovants of various forms, several tons heavy, extracted from the steep sand quarry wall. The second location, and the most spectacular, is along Gresarea Brook that flows into a river in the nearby of the Oteşani village, approximately 15 km from Horezu. Going up the Gresarea brook you will find trovants in many forms, with weights ranging from only a few grams to hundreds of kilograms. Trovants can be seen at the "Trovants Museum" Natural Reserve in Costeşti, Vâlcea County, declared UNESCO monument,