The Pareidolia

Etymologically term derived from the Greek Eidolon. It is a psychological phenomenon where a vague and random stimulus (often an image) is wrongly perceived as a recognizable form. An explanation of this phenomenon, according to the functioning of the brain, is described by Jeff Hawkins in his memory-prediction theory.

The sacred character given to certain archaeological sites could be explained by the psychological phenomenon of hierophany , generally associated with religious experiences or the phenomenon of pareidolia, which is perceptive and not necessarily pathological. This phenomenon is used in psychological assessments, such as the test of Rorschach.

Common examples of pareidolia are:

• Vision of animal faces in the shape of the clouds.


• Vision of faces or on the tops of some rocky hills


• Vision of faces in the front or back of a vehicle ( headlights represent an eye, mouth or

            teeth grill and windshield forehead or head)

• Imagines of face in equipment or buildings.


• Vision or silhouettes of people on the pavement.


• Listening - posts recognizable recordings unknown or reproduced to reverse languages.


• Sightings of UFOs. Ghosts or other paranormal phenomenon.


• Numerous religious figures or just humanoids in astronomical objects or monkeys as the

            Moon, the Nebula Eagle, etc.

• Religious images into everyday objects (trees, rocks, plants).


• Constellations.


• It helps to visualize similarities between people.

The so-called Face on Mars is a famous case of pareidolia.

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