At Baalbek, Romans built a vast temple to Jupiter. In the nearby quarry lie cut blocks weighing around 1,000 tonnes. The largest, found in 2014, is thought to weigh about 1,650 tonnes.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
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The Trilithon
Three blocks of about 800 tonnes each sit in the temple's foundations, lifted several metres off the ground.
Who and how
Archaeologists credit Roman engineers using levers, ramps and huge numbers of workers. Some alternative researchers argue the base is far older. The excavated evidence points to Rome.
Learn
- Left in the quarry. The biggest blocks never left the quarry. Nobody knows whether they were abandoned or never meant to move.
Test yourself
Roughly how heavy is the largest block found at Baalbek?
1,650 tonnes. The 2014 find is estimated at about 1,650 tonnes.
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