Have you ever heard of earth cracks? These small breaks in the earth's crust tend to form in earthquake-prone areas, such as near active volcanoes, where the earth literally splits apart. On our visit to Wupatki National Monument this May my sister and I saw several of these earth cracks, relics from a time when the San Francisco Mountains surrounding Flagstaff, AZ were volcanic peaks that pumped ash and magma into the surrounding area. The ancient cultures who lived near the volcanoes used the natural dams inside earth cracks to catch and store rainwater, and so their culture was able to survive in the semi-arid prairie not far from the mountains. Their ruins still stand on the rims of earth cracks all over the area protected by Wupatki, and the crumbling rock and adobe walls can make you feel small and insignificant when standing in the shadow of the past.
Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever heard of earth cracks. Have you seen some before?
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