Stonhenge revisited

[Ralph Shumaker]

warren11 at cox.net wrote:

> On Sat, 4 Dec 2004, Lan Barnes wrote:
>
>> On Sat, Dec 04, 2004 at 10:20:08PM -0800, Neil Schneider wrote:
>>
>>> Mike Pitts, editor of British Archaeology, says: "Few archaeologists
>>>
>>> "It occurred to me that a megalith could be picked up, moved a short
>>> distance, put down and moved again. Further research suggested this
>>> would be quicker, require less manpower and negate the need for muscle
>>> power. Also, the initial inertia the body experiences when attempting
>>> to drag large stones, is all but nullified."
>>
>>
>> I don't get this. We all gather 'round the stone. Neil says "on my
>> count: 1 ... 2 ... 3!" We grunt. We lift. We stagger six steps toward
>> El Cajon. Repeat until stone is there?
>>
>> How many people does it take to pick up a 6 ton stone?
>
>
> Lan, It is simple, but the writer did not explain well enough -
> Put yourself beside a big stone, dig a little hole under edge so you 
> can stick the end of a pole under the stone - say along side of stone 
> in two places.  Do same on other side of stone.  If the stone is not 
> real big maybe just one on each side can do the job. Now position a 
> fulcrum (log) opposite the pole holes close to stone.
>
> Now you go get a buddy and two poles, each sticks pole in stone hole 
> on each side and over fulcrum and push down, when the stone is up move 
> SIDEWAYS (got it) and let stone back down.  If course both have to 
> advance the stone in same direction.
>
> Whew! harder to write than to give demo with couple pencils and 
> erasers for fulcrums under a dictionary.  Yes I know only two points 
> won't balance the load but if close to balance it could be inched along.
>
> push down here
>         \/______________________________ (stone)
>                                     ^
> Give me a long enough pole and fulcrum and I can move Mt. Rushmore !!


This kind reminds me about some recluse dude believed by most to be a 
nut because he claimed to have figured out how the ancients moved such 
heavy stones using just ropes and poles.  He apparrently went back into 
seclusion and was pretty much forgotten about until his death.  Then it 
was discovered that he had built some kind of stone structure with stone 
blocks weighing tons and somehow did it all by himself.  Just the door 
alone was a block of stone that weighed tons and was so perfectly 
balanced that a normal person only need to give a steady push to open or 
close it.  Strength was not needed to move the door, just a steady 
push.  Apparrently, he told no one how he did it and so remains a 
mystery.  I don't have a link for it, though I wish I did.  I would like 
to hear the story again.