Beginning as pebbles and growing about two inches in 1000 years, Trovant stones are unique mineral structures that mimic both plant and mammal life.
They mainly consist of a hard stone core surrounded by sand that forms the crust. Minerals in rainwater create a pressure-forming reaction inside, which makes the rock grow and multiply.
Like the rings around trees, trovans when cut reveal layers, each representing a growth period.
Although they are not alive in the scientific sense, both locals and tourists describe them as “living”. Because these rocks seem to change over time.
Costeşti is not the only place where Trovant stones are found; You can find them all over Romania’s Carpathian region, in a study co-authored by Dr Ticleanu.
