List of largest monoliths

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People on Nias in Indonesia move monoliths to a construction site, circa 1915 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM 'Het verslepen van de steen 'Darodaro' voor de gestorven Saoenigeho van Bawamataloea Nias TMnr 1000095b.jpg
People on Nias in Indonesia move monoliths to a construction site, circa 1915

This is a list of monoliths organized according to the size of the largest block of stone on the site. A monolith is a large stone which has been used to build a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. In this list at least one colossal stone over ten tons has been moved to create the structure or monument.

Contents

In most cases ancient civilizations had little, if any, advanced technology that would help them move these monoliths.[ citation needed ] The most notable exception is that of the ancient Greeks and Romans, who had cranes and treadwheels to help lift colossal stones (see list of ancient Greek and Roman monoliths).

This article also includes a list of modern experimental archaeology efforts to move colossal stones using technologies available to the respective ancient civilizations.

Most of these weights are based on estimates by published scholars; however, there have been numerous false estimates of many of these stones presented as fact. To help recognize exaggerations, an introductory description shows how to calculate the weight of colossal stones from first principles.

Calculating the weight of monoliths

In the cases of smaller monoliths it may be possible to weigh them. However, in most cases monoliths are too large or they may be part of an ancient structure so this method cannot be used. The weight of a stone can be calculated by multiplying its volume and density. Each of these presents challenges.

Volume

To obtain accurate estimates, one needs to survey the monolith, including realistic and explicit assessment of the shapes of inaccessible portions, and then calculate the volume and estimate volumetric errors, which vary crudely as the cube of linear uncertainties.

Density

Monolith with bull, fox, and crane in low relief at Gobekli Tepe Gobekli Tepe 2.jpg
Monolith with bull, fox, and crane in low relief at Göbekli Tepe

The density of most stone is between 2 and 3 tons per cubic meter. Basalt weighs about 2.8 to 3.0 tons per cubic meter; granite averages about 2.75 metric tons per cubic meter; limestone, 2.7 metric tons per cubic meter; sandstone or marble, 2.5 tons per cubic meter. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Some softer stones may be lighter than 2 tons per cubic meter; for example, volcanic tuff weighs about 1.9 tons per cubic meter. [6] [7] Since the density of most of these stones varies, it is necessary to know the source of the stone to obtain accurate measurements. [8] [9] Identifying the rock type alone is not sufficient, as this table [10] illustrates:

Densities of common rocks
in g/cm3 or tons/m3
MaterialDensity
Sediments 1.7–2.3
Sandstone 2.0–2.6
Shale 2.0–2.7
Limestone 2.5–2.8
Granite 2.5–2.8
Metamorphic rock 2.6–3.0
Basalt 2.7–3.1

Simply identifying the monolith as sandstone would allow a ± 15% uncertainty in the weight estimate. In practice, one would measure the density of the monolith itself, and preferably document any variation in density within the monolith, as it may not be homogeneous. Non-destructive methods of density measurements are available (e.g., electron back-scatter); alternatively, the site may contain already-separated fragments of the monolith which can be used for laboratory measurements or on-site techniques. At the crudest, a weighing device and a bucket can obtain two significant figures for a density value.

Quarried monoliths

The unfinished obelisk of Aswan Assuan 07.jpg
The unfinished obelisk of Aswan

This section lists monoliths that have been at least partially quarried but not moved.

WeightName/SiteTypeCountryLocationBuilderComment
~1,650 t [11] Forgotten Stone Block Lebanon Baalbek Roman Empire 19.6 m long, 6 m wide, ≥5.5 m high
~1,242 t [12] Stone of the South Block Lebanon Baalbek Roman Empire 19.5–20.5 m long, 4.34–4.56 m wide, 4.5 m high
~1,100 t [13] Unfinished obelisk Obelisk Egypt Aswan Ancient Egypt 41.75 m long, 2.5–4.4 m wide
~1,000.12 t [14] Stone of the Pregnant Woman Block Lebanon Baalbek Roman Empire 20.31–20.76 m long, 4–5.29 m wide, 4.21–4.32 m high
[15] Statue of Ahimsa Statue India Mangi-Tungi, Nashik district of Maharashtra Gyanmati, 2016108 ft (33 m)
[16] Bawangaja Statue India Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh 84 ft (26 m)
400–600 t Gommateshwara statue Statue India Shravanabelagola of Karnataka Chavundaraya 60 ft (18 m) tall, over 30 ft (9.1 m) wide
Rishabha Statue at Gopachal Hill Statue India Gwalior Fort of Madhya PradeshJain laymen58.4 ft (17.8 m) tall
~1,207 t [17] Granite columnColumn Egypt Mons Claudianus Roman Empire Ca. 17.7 m (59 feet) long [18]

Moved monoliths

The 1,250 t heavy Thunder Stone in Saint Petersburg. On top is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great The Bronze Horseman.jpg
The 1,250 t heavy Thunder Stone in Saint Petersburg. On top is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great
The 53.3 t heavy capital block (the rectangular platform fitted with a railing) of Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy, was lifted by Roman cranes to a record height of about 34 m. Trajans column from SSW.jpg
The 53.3 t heavy capital block (the rectangular platform fitted with a railing) of Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy, was lifted by Roman cranes to a record height of about 34 m.
The Western Stone of the Western Wall in Jerusalem weighs 517 t. The Western Stone by David Shankbone.jpg
The Western Stone of the Western Wall in Jerusalem weighs 517 t.
Neolithic Carnac Stones, France Menec alignment.JPG
Neolithic Carnac Stones, France
Stecci of medieval Radimlja necropolis, Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Radimlja, Nekropola2.JPG
Stećci of medieval Radimlja necropolis, Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cyclopean walls of the ancient Illyrian city of Daorson, Stolac, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Daorson, Bosnia and Herzegovina.jpg
Cyclopean walls of the ancient Illyrian city of Daorson, Stolac, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Brownshill Dolmen, Ireland (4th millennium BC). The great capstone weighs about 100 tons. IMG BrownshillDolmen.jpg
Brownshill Dolmen, Ireland (4th millennium BC). The great capstone weighs about 100 tons.

This section lists monoliths that have been quarried and moved.

WeightName/SiteTypeLocationBuilderComment
1,250 t [19] Thunder Stone Boulder, Statue pedestal Saint Petersburg, Russia Russian Empire, 1770Moved 6 km overland for shipment, [19] and cut from 1,500 t to current size in transport [20]
1,000 t [21] Ramesseum Statue Thebes, Egypt Ancient Egypt Transported 170 miles (270 km) by ship from Aswan
800 t each [22] Trilithon (3×)Blocks Baalbek, Lebanon Roman Empire Plus about 24 blocks 300 tons each [23]
700 t each Colossi of Memnon (2×)Statues Thebes, Egypt Ancient Egypt Transported 420 miles (680 km) from el-Gabal el-Ahmar (near modern-day Cairo) over land without using the Nile. [21] [24]
520 tons, 170 tons, and 160 tonsGreat Stele, King Ezana's Stele, Obelisk of Axum Stelae Axum, Ethiopia The stelae were moved about 2.6 miles (4.2 km). [25] King Ezana's stele and the "Obelisk" of Axum were among seven such monuments set up in Axum in the 4th century AD. The Great Stele was never successfully erected and broke into pieces at its present site.
400 t [26] Temple in complex for Khafre's Pyramid Giza, Egypt
300–500 t [27] Masuda no iwafune Asuka, Nara, JapanLarge stone structure approximately 11 meters in length, 8 meters in width, and 4.7 meters In height
340 t [28] Levitated Mass Los Angeles, California, United StatesSculpture by Michael Heizer, 2012Moved 106 miles. [29]
330 t [30] The Broken Menhir of Er Grah Menhir Locmariaquer, Brittany, France Neolithic(4700 BC)Moved 10–20 km. It once stood but was later broken in 4
250–300 t [31] Western Stone, Temple MountBlock Jerusalem, Israel [32] Herod, King of Judea during the Second Temple periodWeight is disputed; a 2006 analysis estimated the depth of this stone at only 1.8–2.5 m, for a weight of 250–300 t. [31] Weight formerly said to be 550 to 600 t. [33] [34]
230 t [35] Mausoleum of Theodoric Roof slab Ravenna, Italy Ostrogothic Kingdom
220 t [36] Menkaure's Pyramid Giza, Egypt Largest stones in mortuary temple
200 t [37] Sahure's pyramid Saqqara, Egypt Largest stones over king's chamber
200 t [38] Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites KoreaLargest stone at the site
WeightName/SiteTypeLocationBuilderComment

Lifted monoliths

Alexander Column's erection on the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia (1832) Alexander Column erection.jpg
Alexander Column's erection on the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia (1832)
Luxor Obelisk's erection on the Place de la Concorde, Paris (1836) Concorde Obelix (5).jpg
Luxor Obelisk's erection on the Place de la Concorde, Paris (1836)

This section includes monoliths that were quarried, moved and lifted.

Erected in upright position

Monoliths known to have been lifted into an upright position:

WeightName/SiteTypeLocationBuilderComment
600 t [79] Alexander Column Column Saint Petersburg, Russia Russian Empire Lifted in upright position in 1832
455 t [80] Lateran Obelisk and Obelisk of Theodosius Pair of Obelisks Rome, Italy & Istanbul, Turkey Thutmose III Lifted in upright position originally in 15th century BC as a pair outside the temple of Amun at Karnak, Thebes; both subsequently shipped to Alexandria in the 4th century AD - one then shipped to Rome and erected in 357 AD by Constantius II and the other to Constantinople and installed in 390 AD by Theodosius I. Both partly broken, now 32.18m (Rome) and 19.6m (Istanbul) high.
361 t [81] Vatican Obelisk Obelisk St. Peter's Square, Vatican City Ancient Egypt Removed to Rome in ancient imperial times and re-erected. Relocated in an upright position by Domenico Fontana in 1586 for Pope Sixtus V.
285 t [82] Pompey's Pillar Column Alexandria, Egypt Diocletian Column shaft 20.75 m long, of pink granite (lapis syeneites) quarried in Aswan. Erected 298-303 AD and crowned with a grey granite Corinthian capital and 7 m-tall statue in porphyry.
250 t Luxor Obelisk Obelisk Paris, France Louis-Philippe I Relocated and lifted in upright position by Apollinaire Lebas in 1836
170 tons & 160 tons King Ezana's Stele the Obelisk of Axum Stelae Axum, Ethiopia Kingdom of Axum - Ezana of Axum and before.The stelae were moved about 2.6 miles (4.2 km) from their quarries. [25] They were the largest Axumite stelae to survive installation; larger attempts failed. The "Obelisk" of Axum was removed from a standing position in 1937, cut into five pieces, and taken to Rome to be re-erected. It was again set up in Ethiopia at its original location in 2005.

Lifted clear off the ground

Monoliths that have been placed on a towering structure:

WeightHeight of the towerName/SiteTypeLocationBuilderComment
80 t [83] 66 m (Vimana) Brihadisvara Temple Amalaka block Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India Chola Empire (1010 AD)Block of granite, a square of 7.8 m
25 t [84] 66 m (Vimana) Brihadisvara Temple Khapuri block Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India Chola Empire (1010 AD)Cupolic granite dome

Monoliths known or assumed to have been lifted clear off the ground by cranes into their position:

WeightHeightName/SiteTypeLocationBuilderComment
230 t [35] ~15 m Mausoleum of Theodoric Roof slab Ravenna, Italy Ostrogothic Kingdom
108 t [85] 19 m Jupiter temple Cornice block Baalbek, Lebanon Roman Empire
63 t [85] 19 m Jupiter temple Architrave-frieze block Baalbek, Lebanon Roman Empire
53.3 t [86] ~34 m Trajan's Column Capital block Rome, Italy Roman Empire Dedicated in 113 AD

Roman column monuments like Trajan's Column, though not often themselves monolithic, were built using very large sculpted stone blocks, stacked atop one another using cranes and lewises. The capital block of the column was usually even larger and heavier than the column drums. The columns of Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius, and Constantine, and the lost columns of Theodosius, Arcadius, and Leo were all constructed in this way, on monumental pedestals and crowned with colossal statues. A few were monoliths, including the Column of Diocletian in Alexandria, called "Pompey's Pillar", the "Column of the Goths" and the Column of Marcian in Constantinople, and the lost Column of Antoninus Pius in Rome.

List of efforts to move and install stones

These are listed with the largest experiments first; for additional details of most experiments see related pages.

See also

Related Research Articles

An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called tekhenu, the Greeks used the Greek term obeliskos to describe them, and this word passed into Latin and ultimately English. Though William Thomas used the term correctly in his Historie of Italie of 1549, by the late sixteenth century, Shakespeare failed to distinguish between pyramids and obelisks in his plays and sonnets. Ancient obelisks are monolithic and consist of a single stone; most modern obelisks are made of several stones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid of Djoser</span> Archeological site in Egypt

The pyramid of Djoser, sometimes called the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is an archaeological site in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the ruins of Memphis. The 6-tier, 4-sided structure is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. It was built in the 27th century BC during the Third Dynasty for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser. The pyramid is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration. Its architect was Imhotep, chancellor of the pharaoh and high priest of the god Ra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Djoser</span> Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty

Djoser was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty during the Old Kingdom, and was the founder of that epoch. He is also known by his Hellenized names Tosorthros and Sesorthos. He was the son of King Khasekhemwy and Queen Nimaathap, but whether he was also the direct successor to their throne is unclear. Most Ramesside king lists identify a king named Nebka as preceding him, but there are difficulties in connecting that name with contemporary Horus names, so some Egyptologists question the received throne sequence. Djoser is known for his step pyramid, which is the earliest colossal stone building in ancient Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Kingdom of Egypt</span> Period of history (c. 2686–2181 BC)

In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700–2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth Dynasty, such as King Sneferu, who perfected the art of pyramid-building, and the kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who constructed the pyramids at Giza. Egypt attained its first sustained peak of civilization during the Old Kingdom, the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karnak</span> Ancient Egyptian temple complex

The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak, comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construction at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic Kingdom, although most of the extant buildings date from the New Kingdom. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut and the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city. The Karnak complex gives its name to the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of El-Karnak, 2.5 kilometres north of Luxor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egyptian Museum</span> History museum in Cairo, Egypt

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, commonly known as simply the Egyptian Museum, located in Cairo, Egypt, houses the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. It houses over 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display. Located in a building built in 1901, it is the largest museum in Africa. Among its masterpieces are Pharaoh Tutankhamun's treasure, including its iconic gold burial mask, widely considered one of the best-known works of art in the world and a prominent symbol of ancient Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megalith</span> Large stone used to build a structure or monument

A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesseum</span> Memorial temple of Ramesses II in Luxor, Egypt

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II. It is located in the Theban Necropolis in Upper Egypt, on the west of the River Nile, across from the modern city of Luxor. The name – or at least its French form Rhamesséion – was coined by Jean-François Champollion, who visited the ruins of the site in 1829 and first identified the hieroglyphs making up Ramesses's names and titles on the walls. It was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amon.Usermaatra-setepenra was the prenomen of Ramesses II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colossi of Memnon</span> Two Ancient Egyptian statues near Luxor

The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, which stand at the front of the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, the largest temple in the Theban Necropolis. They have stood since 1350 BC, and were well known to ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as early modern travelers and Egyptologists. The statues contain 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin, dated to between AD 20 and 250; many of these inscriptions on the northernmost statue make reference to the Greek mythological king Memnon, whom the statue was then – erroneously – thought to represent.

<i>Bronze Horseman</i> Monument for Peter I at the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg

The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was opened to the public on 7 (18) August 1782. Commissioned by Catherine the Great, it was created by the French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet. The statue influenced a 1833 poem of the same name by Alexander Pushkin, which is widely considered one of the most significant works of Russian literature. The statue is now one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Egyptian architecture</span> Aspect of architecture

Spanning over three thousand years, ancient Egypt was not one stable civilization but in constant change and upheaval, commonly split into periods by historians. Likewise, ancient Egyptian architecture is not one style, but a set of styles differing over time but with some commonalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawara</span> Village in Faiyum Governorate, Egypt

Hawara is an archaeological site of Ancient Egypt, south of the site of Crocodilopolis at the entrance to the depression of the Fayyum oasis. It is the site of a pyramid built by the Pharaoh Amenemhat III in the 19th century BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egyptian pyramid construction techniques</span> Overview about the Egyptian pyramid construction techniques

Egyptian pyramid construction techniques are the controversial subject of many hypotheses. These techniques seem to have developed over time; later pyramids were not constructed in the same way as earlier ones. Most of the construction hypotheses are based on the belief that huge stones were carved from quarries with copper chisels, and these blocks were then dragged and lifted into position. Disagreements chiefly concern the methods used to move and place the stones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Egyptian technology</span> Devices, and technologies invented or used in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian technology describes devices and technologies invented or used in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians invented and used many simple machines, such as the ramp and the lever, to aid construction processes. They used rope trusses to stiffen the beam of ships. Egyptian paper, made from papyrus, and pottery were mass-produced and exported throughout the Mediterranean Basin. The wheel was used for a number of purposes, but chariots only came into use after the Second Intermediate Period. The Egyptians also played an important role in developing Mediterranean maritime technology including ships and lighthouses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Younger Memnon</span> Ancient Egyptian statue

The Younger Memnon is an Ancient Egyptian statue, one of two colossal granite statues from the Ramesseum mortuary temple in Thebes, Upper Egypt. It depicts the Nineteenth Dynasty Pharaoh Ramesses II wearing the Nemes head-dress with a cobra diadem on top. The damaged statue has since been separated from its upper torso and head. These sections can now be found in the British Museum. The remainder of the statue remains in Egypt. It is one of a pair that originally flanked the Ramesseum's doorway. The head of the other statue is still found at the temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pompey's Pillar (column)</span> Ancient Roman triumphal column

Pompey's Pillar is the name given to a Roman triumphal column in Alexandria, Egypt. Set up in honour of the Roman emperor Diocletian between 298–302 AD, the giant Corinthian column originally supported a colossal porphyry statue of the emperor in armour. It stands at the eastern side of the temenos of the Serapeum of Alexandria, beside the ruins of the temple of Serapis itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baalbek Stones</span> Monolithic stones in Baalbek, Lebanon

The Baalbek Stones are six massive Roman worked stone blocks in Baalbek, Lebanon, characterised by a megalithic gigantism unparallelled in antiquity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olmec colossal heads</span> Stone representations of human heads from the Olmec civilization

The Olmec colossal heads are stone representations of human heads sculpted from large basalt boulders. They range in height from 1.17 to 3.4 metres. The heads date from at least 900 BC and are a distinctive feature of the Olmec civilization of ancient Mesoamerica. All portray mature individuals with fleshy cheeks, flat noses, and slightly-crossed eyes; their physical characteristics correspond to a type that is still common among the inhabitants of Tabasco and Veracruz. The backs of the monuments often are flat. The boulders were brought from the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas mountains of Veracruz. Given that the extremely large slabs of stone used in their production were transported over large distances, requiring a great deal of human effort and resources, it is thought that the monuments represent portraits of powerful individual Olmec rulers. Each of the known examples has a distinctive headdress. The heads were variously arranged in lines or groups at major Olmec centres, but the method and logistics used to transport the stone to these sites remain unclear. They all display distinctive headgear and one theory is that these were worn as protective helmets, maybe worn for war or to take part in a ceremonial Mesoamerican ballgame.

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