Formed by the patient drip of mineral-rich water, Stalactites descend like stone icicles from the ceilings of caves and mine tunnels. Layer by layer, dissolved minerals — often calcite, aragonite, or gypsum — crystallize over time, creating tapering columns of stone that embody both gravity’s pull and time’s quiet, relentless work. Each stalactite is a suspended record of ancient waters and the earth’s slow, steady breathing.