kame

kame (kām) [key], low, steep, rounded hill or ridge of layered sand and gravel drift, developed from glacial deposits. Kames were probably formed by streams of melting glacial ice that deposited mud and sand along the ice front. The subsequent retreat of the glacier left them as more or less isolated hills and ridges, ranging in height from a few feet to 100 ft (30 m) or more. Kames generally occur in clusters and are situated directly behind a mass of rock and soil called a terminal moraine. They are common in the glaciated valleys of the Scottish Lowlands, where the name originated.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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