If the nest is old enough, weathering can make it even harder and more rock-like.

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The Repeating “Cells” Are a Big Clue

Look closely at the object in the photograph.

The surface appears to contain numerous small, rounded depressions and raised sections.

That kind of repetition is exactly the sort of feature that can make an insect nest recognizable.

A bird nest, for example, generally consists of fibers, grass, twigs, feathers, or similar materials.

A paper-wasp nest has a paper-like layered appearance.

A mud-based wasp nest is much more likely to have an earthy, compacted, irregular appearance.

That’s why the object looks so unusual.

It sits somewhere between a chunk of dried clay and an insect-made structure.

Why Is It So Hard?

The person who found it specifically described it as being “hard as a rock.”

That may sound surprising until you consider what happens to wet mud after repeated drying.