The Bélmez Faces
In 1971, mysterious faces began to appear on the concrete walls of a house in Bélmez de la Moraleda, Spain. When the first one formed the offending concrete was destroyed and replaced, but the next one, now known as La Pava, was preserved by the mayor. The faces formed and disappeared for decades, displaying people of various ages and sex with various expressions and then fading from view. Finally with the death of Maria Gomez, one of the residents of the house, the faces seemed to cease to form. This phenomenon has been described by parapsychologists as the most important paranormal phenomenon in the 20th century.
The primary paranormal hypothesis for the formation of the faces was the idea that they were thoughtographic projections. Investigators such as Hans Bender noticed that the faces underwent changes in expression and face even when underneath a plastic seal. In addition, testing was done that showed that the faces did not show any major chemical traces of paint. Maria Gomez was thought to be the source of the thoughts that were rendered by the faces, with their formation being the result of a subconscious psychokinetic force. (This is similar to many ideas on poltergeist activity, which is often thought to be connected to the unconscious desires and will of the residents of the house that displays the activity.) This hypothesis is the one most accepted by parapsychologists and other believers in the supernatural nature of the Belmez faces.
However, scientific testing has revealed other possible explanations that are, sadly, much less supernatural in nature. Skeptics have observed that the chemical testing done on the concrete did little to rule out many kinds of paint, such as lead-based paints that would be capable of producing staining like that seen in the faces. Others have observed that many oxidizing agents, including a common cleaning product that can be found at stores in the area, could provide the same results. Silver nitrate, which would seem to 'form' into a face when exposed to light, could also be a cause. Any number of things could produce an effect much like that seen in the faces without any supernatural intervention. The skeptics therefore claim that the faces were, in fact, a hoax designed to bring attention and tourism money to Bélmez.
In any case, with the death of Maria, the faces have ceased to form, and so many of the questions investigators have about them are in fact now unanswerable. While other faces briefly seemed to form in the house, they were rather quickly debunked as being a hoax perpetrated by so-called investigators who were studying the house and wanted results. It seems that with the death of Maria all hope of figuring out the exact nature of the faces has also died, leaving just the fading La Pava on her concrete slab. The faces, it seems, are not able to speak for themselves.
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