You will learn about the archaeological rocks of Baalbek, the largest carved rocks in human history
In the ancient world; Many civilizations have emerged that were able to transport huge rocks over long distances using primitive techniques, starting from the standing rocks of Stonehenge in Britain to Machu Picchu. These ancient peoples were always discovering and developing methods for transporting these rocks and boulders of enormous sizes. from a place to another.
The Olmec people in Central America were able to transport giant stone heads, most likely by using boats across rivers, while the Incas built great kingdoms on mountaintops using rocks of enormous size and extremely precise fit and proportion, each of which was brought over distances of tens of kilometers. The residents of Easter Island also carved and transported some of the largest rock sculptures created by man throughout history.
However, the largest human-carved and polished rock discovered so far was not found in any of these previous places, but rather was found in the Lebanese city of Baalbek, in the ruins of a city known at one time as the city of Heliopolis, whose name means “the city of the sun.” “.
Temple of Jupiter Baal in Baalbek, Lebanon.Image: Khalid Albaih/Flickr
At the base of the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter Baal, there are three huge boulders known collectively as the “Trilithon Rocks,” each of which is estimated to weigh more than 750 tons. Construction work on the massive Roman Temple of Jupiter began around 27 BC, and while most researchers agree that the rocks were polished and cut by the Romans, there is some evidence indicating that the trilithon rocks may predate the Roman presence in the Middle East. . In fact, the presence of these rocks there may precede the presence of Alexander the Great himself, who founded the city of Heliopolis in the year 334 BC.
Stairs leading to the entrance to the Temple of Jupiter Baal.Image: Steven Damron/Flickr
Whether the Roman builders or groups of other peoples were responsible for polishing and carving them, it seems that someone discovered a way to move these giant boulders and rocks from the quarry, transport them over a distance of several kilometers, and then raise them onto the base of a smaller rock group.
“The Pregnant Stone”, the largest of the trilithon rocks in Baalbek, and the largest stone carved by man in history.Image: Frode Bjorshol/Flickr
In addition to the trilithon, there is a fourth boulder inside the temple, which is considered the largest boulder polished by man in history. This boulder is known as the “Habala Stone,” and it weighs about 1,200 tons - the equivalent of the weight of three Boeing 747 airplanes -.
A man stands on the “Pregnant Stone” from a different angle.
Apparently, this enormous weight proved to be too much for a human being to move, so it was left in the place where it had been polished, and is now a massive rectangular boulder sticking out of the ground.
It remains questionable how it occurred to the Roman engineers (or any people behind the carving and polishing of these rocks) that they might be able to move and move a rock of such enormous size.
One of the trilithon rocks in Solomon's Wall.
Source: Stlas Obscura website