Faces of Bélmez
In 1971, faces began appearing on a concrete kitchen floor in Bélmez, Spain. The floor was torn up and replaced—new faces appeared. Excavation found human remains beneath the house. The faces continued forming for 30 years. Paranormal researchers called it the best-documented case ever.
Human faces kept forming on a kitchen floor.
The Beginning
On August 23, 1971, María Gómez Cámara discovered a face had appeared on her kitchen floor in Bélmez de la Moraleda, Spain. The image was formed in the concrete itself.
The Faces
Human faces appeared over the years, both male and female. Their expressions changed, new ones formed, and this continued over decades.
The Investigation
The floor was destroyed and new concrete was poured, but the faces returned. Excavation was done beneath the house, and human remains were found at what turned out to be a former cemetery site containing medieval graves. The remains were properly reburied, but the faces continued to appear.
Scientific Study
Researchers including German de Argumosa and Hans Bender investigated the phenomenon. Paint analysis was conducted. No fraud was found during 30 years of study.
The Skepticism
Doubts were raised about whether the family painted them, whether oxidation patterns could explain them, and whether tourism was a motive. Some tests were inconclusive, and the debate continues.
Sources
For thirty years, faces appeared in concrete. Scientists studied them. Skeptics doubted. The floor was replaced again and again. The faces always returned. María Gómez Cámara died, but the faces remain, staring up from the kitchen floor in Bélmez.