Pareidolia
  Pareidolia? Don't worry, I didnt know that word either, until quite recently.

The dictionary describes it as "the tendency to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulous, usually visual, so that one detects an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none."

For example, "seeing faces" in inanimate objects ... which perfectly describes an affliction I've had for most of my adult life:

I see faces ... EVERYWHERE!

Maybe you do, too?
 

In June 2025 an interesting article appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine:

"Did a Neanderthal Who Lived 43,000 Years Ago Paint a Red Nose on a Rock That Looked Like a Face?"

Authored by Sarah Kuta, the article was accompanied by a photograph of a small rock (approximately 8" x 4") with vaguely face-like features.

The researchers wrote: “The fact that the pebble was selected because of its appearance and then marked with ocher shows that there was a human mind capable of symbolizing, imagining, idealizing and projecting his or her thoughts on an object".

If I may add to this, I'm convinced this particular Neanderthal also had a sense of humour!
     

A number of years ago I started taking photographs -- or scanning images -- whenever I thought I saw a "face".

Some of the examples below are better than others, but here's a selection of "face-like" images I've collected ...
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Swiss cheese, sliced   Bread, sliced   Pickle, sliced
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Take-out coffee lid

   Take-out coffee lid   Wine bottle seal?
 
 
 
 

Take-out coffee lid, Toronto
(some days this is how I feel)

  Picture frame hook   Cardboard packaging material
 
 
 
 

Traffic barrier
New York

   Traffic barrier
New Jersey		   Old door with plate removed
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Picture frame hook

   Elevator, Millburn NJ   Elevator, Naples FL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Plastic packaging material

   Cardboard packaging material   Stryrofoam packaging material
 
 
 
 

Security camera with lights

   House somewhere?  

Lightouse
Martha's Vineyard
 
 
 
 

Antique brass door latch, part 1

   Antique brass door latch, part 2    
 
 
 
 

Fire hose outlet
New York?

  Fire hose outlet
New York? 		  Fire hose outlet
New York?
 
 
 
  Not sure what this is. It's next to the Target store, Maplewood NJ   Thule bicycle seat
London, UK		   Thule bicycle seat
London, UK
 
 
 
      Airplane ceiling air vents   Electrical switch
London, UK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      Miele vaccum, carpet attachment
   Remington hair clipper
 
 
 
  Microwave rotor   Electrical adaptor   Bottom of trash bin, London
 
 
 
  Vileda mop strainer   Airplane lavatory, hot-cold faucet   Wall-mount tool-holder
 
 
 
  Mop, Brooklyn NY   Online screen capture   Bollard, Martha's Vineyard
 
 
 
  Vileda Ultamax mop part   Henkel pasta ladle   Vileda Ultamax mop part
 
 
 
      Toaster interior   Sidewalk stain, New York
 
 
 
  Audi key fob        
 
 
 
  Air fryer, screen capture   Winter boot clasps   Purse, screen capture
 
 
 
  Shopping cart, Home Depot
Maplewood NJ		   Old brass door plate    
 
 
 
 

Floor access panel
New York subway car

  Luggage rack bracket
New Jersey Transit train		   Restaurant, Brooklyn NY
 
 
 
  Wire-cutter tool   Cupboard
Le Colombier Restaurant
London UK		   Hotel lobby, lights and chimney
 
 
 
  St. Yeghiche Armenian Church
London UK		   Door latch, washing machine
London UK		   Old barn, Lougheed Highway
Mission, BC, Canada
 
 
 
  Security camera
Online screen capture		   Össur backpack
London UK		   Sidewalk, Cromwell Road
London UK
 
 
 
  Some kind of portable barrier?
Heathrow Airport		   Elevator
Heathrow Airport		   Concrete roadside barrier
Mission, BC, Canada
 
 
 
  Gate latch, London   Door pull   Oven knobs, New York
 
 
 
  Swiss cheese slices   ???   UAD Pultec audio plug-in
 
 
 
  Irrigation cover
Las Vegas		  

Front Desk decoration
Hotel, Las Vegas

  Cupboard
 
 
 
  United Airlines galley latches   Las Vegas airport   Latch (screen capture)
 
 
 
  New York subway        
 
 
 
  ???   Landscape drain   Heavy duty jack, base
 
 
 
  Stairs, New York subway   ???   Water spout, New York
 
 
 
  X-ray panel, New York   Coat - gromets and zipper   Outdoor propane heater, base
 
 
 
  Toilet button   New York Street   Tub drain lever
 
 
 
  ???   Weight for a tent pole   New York Street
 
 
 
  Cardboard on the street   New Jersey Transit   Detail of a dermatology device
 
 
 
  NJ Transit train?   NJ Transit train?   Air vents
Barcelona airport
 
 
 
  Air vents, Dishoom Restaurant Kensington, London   Part of a childrens shoe measuring device, London  

Toilet, Mercer Hotel
Barcelona

 
 
 
  When I was in London a friend sent me this image from New York   The very next day, while walking in London, I saw this brick-size item in Trevor Street near Harrods!  

Sidewalk, Battersea Power Station
London
 
 
 
      Hotel wall, Barcelona  

 
 
 
 
      Vent, London  

 
 
 
 
         

 
 
 

 

 

 
         

 
 
 

 

 

 
  I saw this woman walking on Broadway in New York. When I got home I searched for images of the purse online
 
 

 

 

 
  Wall plate   Wall plate  

Wall plate
 
 

 

 

 
         

 
 
 

 

 

 
  Wall vent, London   Sliced strawberry  

 
 
 

 

 

 
  Picture hook      

 
 
 

 

 

 
         

 
 
 

 

 

 
         

London bus
 
 

 

 

 
  Chair, Pret a Manger, New York      

Pattern on sweat pants
 
 

 

 

 
  Cast iron coal cover, London   Ceiling sprinkler, doctor's office New York  

Antique guitar, MET Museum
 
 

 

 

 
  ???      

Toaster
 
 

 

 

 
  Sidewalk, New York   Manhole cover, New York  

Wall vents, New York
 
 

 

 

 
  Shop wall, Madison Avenue
New York
   Cupboard, New York city bus?  

Electric car charging station
 
 

 

 

 
  New York city bus? Andis trimmer

Trash and recycling bin
Post Office, Manhattan NY
 
 

 

 

 
  Televison outlet, Phoenix AZ   ???  

Phoenix AZ