Monoliths
The monolith of Baalbek
This is not one of the seven wonders of the world, but it is the
largest megalith known to man. Located in the Beqaa Valley, 85
kilometers from Beirut, this phenomenal stone is estimated to
weigh nearly 1200 tons. No modern machinery could support this
weight. The dimensions of the stone are approximately
68'x14'x14'.This megalith was hewn from red granite, and is still
attached to the bedrock. Other stones of equal grandeur were
quarried in the same location, and carried over half of a mile
uphill to the "Grand Terrace" of Baalbek, Lebanon (Click at the picture for full size)
The Unfinished Obelisk
One of the most famous stones left behind is the Unfinished
Obelisk, more than twice the size of any known obelisk ever
raised. Quarrymen apparently abandoned the obelisk when fractures
appeared in its sides. However, the stone, still attached to
bedrock, gives important clues to how the ancients quarried
granite. Much of the red granite used for
ancient temples and colossi came from quarries in the Aswan area
(500 miles south of Cairo). The Unfinished Obelisk still lies
where a crack was discovered as it was being hewn from the rock.
Possibly intended as a companion to the Lateran Obelisk,
originally at Karnak, now in Rome, it would have measured
120-feet and weighed over 1150 tons when complete. (Click at the picture for full size)
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