Original tafoni in the Guadarrama mountains (Bustarviejo, Madrid)

Abstract

Two cluster of tafoni in the village of Bustarviejo (Madrid province, Guadarrama mountains) are charaterized, one in granite and the other in gneiss. There is several tafoni too large (until several meters of long). The origin and development of these tafoni is relationed whith the model of cavernous weathering by mechanical deformation of the rock block. The distribution and scarcity of tafoni in inner Spain is discused in relation with salt weathering.