Monolithic Madness - The Enigmatic Kailasa Temple in India

a reply to: jeep3r

I will risk a thesis that in modern day we couldn't build such structure... and even if we could, we would use XXI century technology and science. Not ancient.

a reply to: jeep3r

Now that there is quite an amazing sight. My old back won't let me travel like I used to, but that would have been a fine travel destination for me and the wife.

a reply to: jeep3r

Well done OP. Made for great reading, research, and learning on my part.

Now the question is did they build a temple out of rock or did they make the rock to look like a temple?

a reply to: Byrd

Just giving a theory for the locals saying a week. As a possibility of it's formation basalt is volcanic in origin... not a concrete affirmation to it. Such a thing would require the practice tried in action. I have neither forms, sand nor a volcano to flow the basalt to burn away the mold.

I was immediately reminded of 3D printers and resin manufacturing. Your subtractive manufacturing theory is spot on. How they worked the rock is likely with chisels and mounted hammers made of harder stones. It is actually quite easy to increase hardness of metal, but it becomes more brittle. That becomes less meaningful if the metal is exceptionally thick. India has a tremendously advanced history in terms of iron work and steel, particularly Wootz steel. Among ancient metal weapon manufacturers, India could easily rate in the top three.

a reply to: Therisnospoon

Since the day I saw and ventured into one of the underground cities in Cappadocia Turkey I have wondered how those marvels were not spoken of along with all the other mysteries of the world. My imagination always strays into visions of those long ago magical nights...amazing

a reply to: residentofearth

I think you make a valid point.

Can our interpretation of gravity and mass etc equate to some other, much older, basis of understanding used to make the Temple

originally posted by: Doxanoxa
a reply to: residentofearth

I think you make a valid point.

Can our interpretation of gravity and mass etc equate to some other, much older, basis of understanding used to make the Temple

No. And why?

There's no reason to assume ancient people couldn't move the stones they moved.

Harte

originally posted by: BigBrotherDarkness
a reply to: Byrd

Just giving a theory for the locals saying a week.

Remember, local history can be full of errors and legends. Remember the mountains that were said to have formed when a giant sat on them... or the mountain pass formed when a giant threw his hammer at Thor? Or Maui pulling Hawaii out of the water with a fish hook?

Legends can have truth in them, but you need to look for physical evidence that says its true.

As a possibility of it's formation basalt is volcanic in origin... not a concrete affirmation to it.

Actually, it really IS volcanic in origin. As the OP said, The deccan basalt, which was excavated and carved, reaches a hardness of 6 on the Moh-scale of mineral hardness

"Deccan basalt" means that it was part of the Deccan Traps, a supervolcano field that was active around the time that the meteor hit Chicxulub. This is no new volcanic material (and yes they could tell that.)

The dinosaurs clearly weren't doing this sort of thing.

originally posted by: Doxanoxa
a reply to: residentofearth

I think you make a valid point.

Can our interpretation of gravity and mass etc equate to some other, much older, basis of understanding used to make the Temple

No and in fact geologic evidence shows that gravity has been pretty much constant for billions of years. Part of the evidence comes from ancient records of tides (laid down millions and billions of years ago) that eventually are turned into stone. They show the spin of the earth and the length of the day and the strength of the moon's impact on us. They do not show a change in mass or gravity of the Earth or the Moon or anything else in the solar system.

a reply to: jeep3r

400,000 tons equals 800,000,000 lbs.

That's getting close to a Billion pounds.

That's a lot. That's like...does the Earth even weigh a Billion pounds lol XD

originally posted by: 3n19m470
a reply to: jeep3r

400,000 tons equals 800,000,000 lbs.

That's getting close to a Billion pounds.

That's a lot. That's like...does the Earth even weigh a Billion pounds lol XD

The Earth weighs a million times a billion times another billion times that billion pounds. Approximately.

Harte