A ventifact (also wind-faceted stone, windkanter [1]) is a rock that has been abraded, pitted, etched, grooved, or polished by wind-driven sand or ice crystals. [2] The word “Ventifact” is derived from the Latin word “Ventus” meaning ‘wind’.

Nov 8, 2017 · What is a Ventifact? Mushroom shaped ventifacts in the White Desert National Park in Egypt. Simply defined, a ventifact is a rock or a stone that has one or more highly polished and flattened sides that is a direct consequence of sand or ice crystals driven by the wind.

ventifact, stone that has received one or more highly polished, flattened facets as a result of erosion by windblown sand. The facets are cut in sequence and correlate with the dominant wind direction.

Oct 19, 2023 · What’s A Ventifact? When simply defined, a ventifact is any piece of rock that has been shaped, pitted, grooved or striated by sand or ice crystals blown by the wind. In fact, the Latin translation of “ventifact” is “make by wind”.

Ventifacts, unlike artifacts, which are fashioned by humans, are shaped by the wind. The term ventifact is derived from the latin "ventus" meaning wind. Ventifacts can be found in sizes that range from centimeter-sized pebbles to huge boulders many meters across.

Mar 24, 2025 · What is a ventifact? A ventifact is a rock shaped by the erosive power of wind-driven sand. Found in deserts and polar regions, these rocks tell stories of harsh environments and relentless winds.

Nov 20, 2015 · The process of making a ventifact is called ventification (Bourke and Viles 2007). Ventifacts form by the abrasive effect of sand carried in strong, generally unidirectional wind (Bridges 1999 and refs therein, Laity and Bridges 2009 ; Bridges et al. ( 2009 )).

Jan 1, 2008 · This review paper discusses some of the main themes in terrestrial ventifact research including their formation and geomorphic controls. The varied morphological forms of ventifacts in terrestrial environments, and their environmental significance as indicators of past and present wind direction and sediment mobility, are critically evaluated.

A ventifact is a stone which has been shaped to some extent by the abrasion of wind-driven sand. Such abrasion produces characteristic features, the most striking being that rather flat faces, termed “facets,” are commonly developed.

Oct 19, 2011 · Ventifact are an interesting bunch. They are beautiful, sometimes strange-looking rock formations, developed by wind and ice crystals in a process called sand-blasting. Come and have a look.