The Archaeologist

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5 Most Massive Unexplained Ancient Monoliths

The Rock Ship of Massuda is a mysterious stone structure located in the Nara prefecture of Japan. The massive block of granite is approximately 36 feet in length, 26 feet wide, and 15 feet high, weighing around 880 tons. The top of the stone has been flattened, and two square holes have been carved into it with a ridge line parallel to both holes. The monolith nickname Rock Ship likely stems from its ship-like appearance and proximity to the now-drained lake Massuda. The stone surface is extremely hard and difficult to carve, leading scientists to regard the Rock Ship of Massuda as a technical marvel for its age. The true purpose for creating the Rock Ship of Massuda has been lost to history, with scholars arguing that it was intended as the marker for a large burial tomb, used as a Buddhist shrine, or for astronomical observation.

The Forgotten Stone is the largest stone ever quarried by human hands in history and was found buried next to a similarly colossal monolith known as the Stone of the Pregnant Woman in Balbec, Lebanon. The Forgotten Stone is 55 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 18 feet high, weighing at least 1650 tons. The Romans carved the Forgotten Stone, but the reason behind its abandonment is still a mystery.

The Broken Maner of Arra is a Neolithic relic located in the province of Britany, France. The maner would tower above the surrounding landscape at nearly 69 feet long, weigh around 350 tons, and be crafted in 4500 BCE. The manor is part of a site known as the L Maria K megaliths and is a thousand years older than Stonehenge. The site is a humbling monument to the abilities of our ancestors.