The Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world (40 ha), located at La Brea (Spanish for "the tar"), a town in southwestern Trinidad. It has fascinated explorers and scientists, as well as attracting tourists, since its discovery by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. In 2011 was included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The origin of Pitch Lake is related to deep faults in connection with subduction under the Caribbean Plate related to Barbados Arc. In appearance the surface of the lake is a uniform expanse of asphalt, intersected by areas of water. Although quiescent, the asphalt still moves with a natural slow "stirring" action. Not only can the flow lines be seen on the surface of the asphalt, but prehistoric trees and other objects have been known in the past to have appeared, disappeared and reappeared. Items found there include Amerindian artifacts, fossilized remains from a prehistoric giant sloth, and a mastodon tooth.
References
Pitch Lake - Wikipedia
La Brea Pitch Lake - UNESCO official website
Trinidad's Pitch Lake (pictorial) - The Flying Kiwi
sender: Nalini Mohammed (direct swap)
sent from San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago), on 15.07.2012
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