Saqsayhuaman - How They Did It | Polygonal Masonry

[Jon the frog]

On 11/2/2021 at 3:05 PM, Abramelin said:

Long ago I posted a link to a book written by a Spanish chronicler accompanying the Spanish conquistadores (or he was one of the conquistadores) whose written words showed that the Spaniards were witness of part of the construction of Saqsayhuaman.

As far as I know, nothing out of the ordinary was recorded.

 

In conclusion on these ancient constructions marvels, is that everything can be done when you don't have labor union...

Edited November 18, 2021 by Jon the frog

[WVK]

On 11/2/2021 at 2:05 PM, Abramelin said:

Long ago I posted a link to a book written by a Spanish chronicler accompanying the Spanish conquistadores (or he was one of the conquistadores) whose written words showed that the Spaniards were witness of part of the construction of Saqsayhuaman.

As far as I know, nothing out of the ordinary was recorded.

 

Which would favor  the simpler explanation: horizontal shaping, vertical stacking. 

[Jarocal]

On 11/14/2021 at 1:40 PM, Hanslune said:

Do you mean an unfinished and abandoned stones? There are number of those or do you mean something else? How do you determine what a stone's 'back' is by the way?

The face that would take the most work to fit properly becomes the "back" because it is unseen. Apart from the leading edges of the joints the remainder of the block can be overworked and rubble utilized in between the blocks to adjust the final setting for each block.

At least after spending decades smacking rocks with blunt objects to shape them that is how I determine which side becomes the "back"...

Edited November 26, 2021 by Jarocal

[Jarocal]

On 11/18/2021 at 9:58 AM, WVK said:

Which would favor  the simpler explanation: horizontal shaping, vertical stacking. 

Why not shape vertically on the higher side and just tip the block over into place? Rolling it over is easier than lifting/lowering it

[WVK]

On 11/18/2021 at 8:58 AM, WVK said:

Which would favor  the simpler explanation: horizontal shaping, vertical stacking. 

looked here, someone else has figured it out. Fromthe comments:

Kotikjeff 23 hours ago

If my life was at stake and I had to build a wall of this kind, I would lay the wall out horizontal to do the fitting work. Complete the wall. Then erect it.

 

[Abramelin]

Ever heard of "the tired stone"?

https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=Wira.organization&set=a.1478334042454350

[WVK]

The article suggests methods that allow creating the most complicated type of polygonal masonry found in Peru. This masonry consists of large stone blocks weighing from several hundred kilograms to several tons fitted close to each other almost without a gap between complicated curved surfaces over a large area. The work provides a description of techniques, which apparently were used by builders who arrived from Europe. The techniques under discussion are based on the use of a reduced clay model, 3D-pantograph, topography translator and replicas. The use of a reduced clay model and a pantograph provides not only the unique appearance and high quality of masonry with large blocks, but also allows to significantly increase the productivity of the builders. As machines coping-scaling three-dimensional objects are known since the beginning of the 18th century, the stone structures under consideration should be dated by that and later time. The remaining simpler types of polygonal masonry with smaller stones or fitted surfaces are almost flat, or stones contact with each other by a small area, or there are significant gaps between stones, are quite consistent with the well-known methods of stone processing of those and earlier years, and, therefore, they do not require any additional explanations.

https://rostislav-v-lapshin.blogspot.com/2021/04/how-polygonal-masonry-megalithic.html