Phallic Rock is a

precambrian The Precambrian ( ; or pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pC, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of t ...

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock (geology), rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock Geological formation, formation ...

Carefree, Arizona Carefree is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is a town north of both Phoenix and Scottsdale, located in the far northeast area of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the population of th ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The formation is caused by

spheroidal weathering Spheroidal weathering is a form of chemical weathering that affects jointed bedrock and results in the formation of concentric or spherical layers of highly decayed rock within weathered bedrock that is known as ''saprolite.'' When saprolite ...

whereby the composition of the granite and its crystal structure facilitated the development of rounded corners and its unique

phallic A phallus (: phalli or phalluses) is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history, a figure with an erect penis is described as ''ithyphallic''. Any object that symbo ...

tubular shape.Black Mountain Conservancy Geology Article
, www.blkmtnconservancy.org, ©2000 Stephanie Bradley (accessed 28 February 2007) The formation is at the eastern foot of Black Mountain and can be found approximately {{cvt, 400, ft, , } east of Tom Darlington Drive on Stagecoach Pass Road. The formation is best viewed from the western side looking east. There is a dirt pull-off on the side of Stagecoach Pass Road with enough room for several vehicles.

References

Literature cited

* Esperança, S. and J. R. Holloway (1984) ''Lower crustal nodules from the Camp Creek latite, Carefree, Arizona. Kimberlites II: The mantle and cryst-mantle relationships''. J. Kornprobst,

Elsevier Elsevier ( ) is a Dutch academic publishing company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content. Its products include journals such as ''The Lancet'', ''Cell (journal), Cell'', the ScienceDirect collection of electronic journals, ...

II: 219–227. Rock formations of Arizona Landforms of Maricopa County, Arizona Phallic symbols