The transport of heavy stone blocks with human power in ancient times

TRANSPORT OF THE BAALBEK FOUNDATION STONES, THE TRILITHON

Author:
Henk J. Koens, The Netherlands May 2012

A 1000 tons foundation stone

The people in the picture show the massive size of the stone block

The foundation stones

These stones are three collosal stones situated in the wall and the remains of the great acropolis of Baalbek, the Temple of Jupiter, in the Libanon built by the Romans. The so called Trilithon composed of three stones each measuring 19 metres long x 4.2 metres high x 3.6 metres wide, hewn from crystalline limestone, weighing 870 tons each. They were transported from the quarry to the building site 1 km away and have been accurate laid upon a layer of 19 similar blocks weighing between 350 and 400 tons each. The transportation weight of the foundation stones was even more than 870 tons and went up to 1000 and 1200 tons. This had probably to do with the fact that the stones were redressed to a smaller dimension when placed in the wall to achieve a precise alignment.

What is not understood ?

It is still an unanswered question how the ancient Romans transported these huge megaliths because the technological ability to accomplish this is far beyond our comprehension, even in our time. Scientists and archaeologists have proposed many methods based on ancient techniques but most of these methods were impractical or unsufficient due to local circumstancies or the enormous weight of the stones. The french archaeologist Jean-Pierre Adam suggested in 1977 that the Romans used a set of 14 capstans with 448 laborers combined with 3-disc pulleys and rollers to move the stones. But calculations show us that in this case the total pulling force of about 250 tons will not be large enough to drag the 1000 tons stone on the base foundation. And above all, the rollers would have crunched under this heavy burden. And how was the stone block quarried?

Was there a simple method of transport ?

It is possible that the Romans have used a forgotten technology to solve this transport problem. We know that the Romans were very capable designers of watersystems, canals, high and long aquaducts. Running water was coming down from the hills in the Libanon and was at many places available. The question rises if the Romans may have used a waterway to transport these heavy stone blocks, perhaps with the aid of a ponton system, which could carry an extremely heavy load.

The geographical situation and an unique possibility for a canal

For the construction of the temple there was a unique situation. The building site of the temple and the quarry were located at the same altitude. [Google map coordinates: Jupiter Temple (34.0068 N, 36.2035 E), and the quarry of the Trilithon blocks (33.9985 N, 36.1988 E). The terrain map with altitude lines gives a value of 1140m for these two places]. The fact that these two places were situated at the same level made it possible to construct a canal. By laying dikes which follow the hill at an altitude of 1140m, a canal could be created. This waterway started in the quarry and went to the building site of the temple and had a length of about 1000 m. This canal was closed on both ends by a floating ponton (caisson), that could be removed to flood the quarry area or the building site. When the canal was closed, both areas could be emptied by opening the outlets (see next picture).

Outlet

Canal is closed by floating pontons

Outlet

Canal

Quarry area

1000m

Building area

How were the stones quarried and where was the ponton system installed ?
The workers started making a galery, large enough to accomodate the first ponton. Therefore they removed the bedrock on one side of the stone block, the material on the front, at the end and underneath. Four support blocks were placed under the stone bloc. Then they made a deep carve on the top backside of the stone block and placed wedges in the carve. After a procedure of controled hammering on the wedges the stone block splitted and rested on the support blocks. Then the galery for the second ponton could be made by removing the material on the other side of the stone block. Thereafter two pre-built pontons were positioned on both sides of the stone block. Next a system of beams and ropes, strong enough to carry the heavy load, was installed. Now the stone block was ready for transport (see next pictures).

2 nd GALERY

1 st GALERY

Quarry

Quarrying the foundation stone

2 Pontons 5 x 4 x 24m

Quarry Quarry

PONTON 2

PONTON 1000 1 TONS

The foundation stone and the installed pontons

How was the stone block lifted and transported ?

Hereafter the quarry area was flooded by gradually opening the watergate on the quarry side. The ponton system was able to lift the uge foundation stone as soon as the water level was high enough and the whole assembly became a floating object. In this way it was easy to transport the stone block through the opened watergate over the canal to the flooded building site at the end. Easy navigation made it possible to reach the destination with great precision. By opening the valves in the ponton, the foundation stone was sunk at the right place and the foundation stone came to rest upon the lower foundation layer. The ropes were removed and the ponton was returned to the canal. After closing the watergate the building site was emptied by opening the outlet. A perfect alignment could be reached by afterwards redressing the stone blocks and there were no remains of the used Lewis holes (see next pictures).

Lewis holes in stone block

15 cm

20 Beams 0.4 m (16 in) with 6 loops of rope on each side Ponton with stone bloc hanging in ropes

5 cm

Iron bar for ropes

Waterlevel

Floating ponton for transport over the canal

Stone blocks were redressed afterwards

Positioning the stone block upon the lower foundation layer by sinking it in the flooded area

Conclusions
-The unique geographical situation of the same level of the quarry and the building site, made it possible to construct a canal. -The ponton system could lift extremely heavy loads. -The Romans had the knowledge to build canals and aquaducts, as well to build boats and pontons. -The work could be done with local available materials and with local laborers. So there is a good possibility that the Romans have used a canal to transport the foundation stones and perhaps also the other heavy stone blocks.

Last word
We will probably never know if the former ideas represent the real situation but it is clear that there is no mystery and that there existed technical methods to solve the transport problem. The Romans were good architects and engineers and they will not have had too many difficulties to find the right solutions. Simple engineering techniques, human power, craftmanship and a good management were the components. However, there is one special effect. The unique geographical situation that the quarry and building site were located on the same level made it possible that the Romans moved the worlds weightiest monoliths.

The Romans used Lewis holes to lift heavy stone blocs Stone blocks