The Strangeness of Cave Shields

Daimon and I visited a cave over the weekend, but it was unlike any cave we had ever seen. For the first time we were able to see these UFO-like shapes in the cave called shields.

I found some other interesting pictures of shields online:

Draperies fall off these strange shapes that defy gravity. It was fun picking them out as we toured the cave. The tourguide noticed my interest in them and talked more about them. It is difficult to explain their origin; scientists aren't sure how the shields are formed and developed only theories to explain their existence. The tourguide said even the most accepted theory (they come from shifts in bedrock) does not explain the formation of certain plates that grow in awkward ways within the cave. If you look closely at the patterns on the shield itself, they don't follow the direction of the ceiling or floor. Many don't always grow from the ceiling, sometimes they grow up from the floor or from the side a stalactite.  It's truly a natural wonder.

The strangeness of these forms coupled with the fact that scientists can't define their beginnings made the trip to the cave a surreal experience.  I read an online book, The Encyclopedia of Caves, and it mentioned that a large shield in France is being studied because it's still active and growing in width. 

Not too many caves exhibit these formations, so we were excited to see them first hand.