• shawn1122@sh.itjust.works
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      1 day ago

      I know you are partly joking but there are three reasons why this a marvel of the ancient world.

      1. It is carved from Deccan Trap basalt, a volcanic rock that is extremely hard and dense, far tougher to work than softer limestones used in many other rock‑cut monuments.

      2. The construction method is unique: artisans began at the top of the cliff and excavated downward, removing material from a single massive block rather than assembling stones piece by piece. This top‑down approach required careful and unconventional forethought in order to maintain structural integrity and for efficient systems of removing debris. The debris is thought to have been moved particularly effectively as it has never been found.

      3. It the largest monolithic rock‑cut temple in the world at 100 by 300 feet.

    • Lyrl@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      No, but it takes years of full time labor in a time where most human labor had to be spent on subsistence. That a community at that low tech level would feed and house someone doing something decorative for that many years is really cool. And I guess to some not believable.