Because.... why?
I have personally watched today's machines try to cut and move 20 ton blocks and it just ain't do-able.....
Because.... why?
you have to actually see these stones to realize how ludicious some people's comments are.......
Because.... why?
(we don't cut stones this big, when we need something like this we build it in place like a foundation)
Excuse me?
Quarry which "routinely" produces 50-ton granite blocks and lifts them with wooden derricks It also mentions that blocks as large as 100 tons which don't meet standards are removed and piled "nearby".
Sculpture made from a 22-ton block of granite, which was transported and carved in 1937
Description of moving 12-ton blocks of granite in 1903 using horses and wagons
1900-ish photo of workers with 50-ton granite block
People carve solid granite boat from 35-ton block, sail it
50-ton block used to make enormous teddy-bear sculpture
Statue of sculptor, sculpted from 30-ton block of granite
photo of 80-ton block of marble being extracted from a quarry
Sculpture cut from a single 750-ton (!) block of marble
People routinely work with blocks that big, or bigger. Where on earth did you get the idea they don't?
Earlier you said, "I have personally watched today's machines try to cut and move 20 ton blocks and it just ain't do-able" -- I have to ask, just what sort of incompetent stonemasons were you observing, anyway?
Finally, the "Tomb of the Unknowns" in Arlington National Cemetary is a solid 50-ton block of marble, moved into place in 1931.
And I mean no offense, but go to a construction site, or talk to a crane operator and find out first hand what their limitations are.....I can't quote exact tonnage, but it ain't 20....
Oh, you're right -- it "ain't 20", it's 250-300 tons. "No offense"...
Of course, that's just for the self-propelled, wheeled/tracked construction cranes. Cranes erected on-site can carry even larger loads.
Then let's say you could lift it, just for the sake of argument....
Um, yeah, let's...
you ain't gonna lift it up 400 feet or so to a point that is smaller than the base /\....
...because why, again?
you just have to go look for yourself and you'll see two things....the great pyramid wasn't built as any tomb, and we still can't build it today....ask someone from Jersey in construction......he'll tell you.....
Right... After a heavy bout of drinking, he'll admit it was the space aliens...
Look, the pyramids are impressive, but they aren't *that* amazing.
Plus, the majority of the blocks in the Great Pyramid are in the 3-6 ton range. Only a few selected stones (like the roof of the burial chamber) hit the 20-ton size. And even those aren't that huge.
Contrary to the desires of some people to make this a "woo woo, supernatural" engineering feat, what you seem to forget is that there are a hell of a lot of contemporary accounts of the construction of such enormous ancient structures, along with countless leftover tools, quarry sites complete with rejected and/or screwed up blocks, etc.
Check this out for some education. Along with a lot of other interesting items, you'll see an Egyptian drawing of, lo and behold, a crapload of people dragging a big stone sculpture, complete with ropes, lubricating liquids to reduce friction, and sticks used as levers on he backside. Not a UFO in sight...