The narrow isthmus connecting the Tasman Peninsula to mainland Tasmania (in Australia) is covered with beautiful and rugged terrain and several unusual geological formations, among which is a peculiar erosional feature called Tessellated Pavement. This rare feature that occurs on an area of flat rock on Eaglehawk Neck looks distinctly manmade, but is in fact, formed by natural causes.

Tessellated Pavement is so called because the rocks here have fractured into polygonal blocks that appears tessellated or tiled. The flatness of the pavement is due to initial erosion by waves carrying sand and gravel, or by chemical action by sea water. The rocks which absorb sea water during high tide dry out during low tide causing salt crystals to grow and disintegrate the rocks - a process which produces shallow basins.

Photo credit