Somehow, a layer of buried sandy sediment was injected upwards into the rock crevasses above, later hardening into rock millennia ago. The softer rock eroded away, leaving the towering sandstone pillars standing hundreds of feet above the plain. Just how this process occurred is an unsolved problem. Geologists and theologians have competing theories involving hot geysers and the Genesis flood.
As far as I am concerned, some of nature’s puzzles should be left to the imaginations of mystery fiction writers.

This photo was taken by an Asahi Pentax 6 X 7 medium format film camera and SMC PENTAX 67 1:4 45mm lens with a HOYA HMC 82mm O[G] filter using Bergger Pancro400 film, the negative scanned by an Epson Perfection V600 and digitally rendered with Photoshop.