VIDEO This is Inside The Stone Blocks of Angkor Wat? Ancient Engineering Technology |Part 7| Praveen Mohan

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This is Inside The Stone Blocks of Angkor Wat? Ancient Engineering Technology |Part 7| Praveen Mohan In the fascinating YouTube video by Praveen Mohan, the mysteries surrounding Angkor Wat's construction are explored, particularly focusing on its stone work. Mohan raises intriguing questions about the materials used in building one of the world's most iconic temples, which seems to have required an astonishing amount of sandstone. Key Highlights: 1. Material Discrepancy: Mohan estimates that at least 10 million tons of sandstone blocks would have been necessary to construct Angkor Wat. However, he points out that examinations of local quarry sites show there weren’t enough sandstone blocks removed from these locations to match this estimate. This leads to the critical question: where did all that sandstone come from? 2. Use of Volcanic Basalt: During his exploration, Mohan identifies a different type of rock — volcanic basalt, referred to as "lava rock" by locals. This porous, rough material was prevalent in the area and seemingly utilized in the temple’s construction, often hidden beneath the aesthetically pleasing sandstone that faces visitors. 3. An Ingenious Engineering Strategy: Mohan suggests a clever engineering tactic employed by ancient builders. Instead of using primarily sandstone, which needed to be transported from 30 miles away, they leveraged locally available laterite and sand. The sandstone provided an attractive exterior, while the bulk of the structure's support came from the rougher materials found nearby. 4. Structuring the Temple: As revealed in the video, the internal structure of Angkor Wat consisted of sand (functioning as a core) intermixed with laterite (offering stability), all encased in a beautiful sandstone exterior. This method of construction not only optimized resource use but also exemplified advanced engineering principles that challenge the notion of primitive building techniques. 5. Final Conclusion: Mohan concludes that the design and execution of Angkor Wat’s construction required sophisticated understanding and skills, illustrating that the builders were far from unsophisticated. They mastered the use of local materials and complex engineering to create a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. This video provides compelling insights into not only the construction of Angkor Wat but also into ancient engineering methods as a whole. If you've ever been intrigued by historical architecture, this discussion is a thought-provoking exploration worth engaging with. Feel free to share your thoughts on Angkor Wat or other ancient structures you've found fascinating! Do you think modern engineering techniques can learn from ancient methodologies? Let’s discuss!