When we look at ancient megaliths scattered across the globe, we’re left scratching our heads. How did our ancestors move such massive stones with seemingly primitive technology? The recent transport of a 340-ton boulder for LACMA’s “Levitated Mass” art installation brutally exposes the limits of modern engineering, yet pales in comparison to what ancient civilizations routinely accomplished.
The LACMA project required a specially designed 206-wheeled transporter, extensive route planning through 22 cities, and took 11 nights to move just 105 miles. This monumental effort was hailed as one of the largest megalith movements since ancient times.
Yet ancient builders thought nothing of incorporating 80-ton stones into their constructions. From the trilithons of Baalbek weighing up to 800 tons, to the precisely fitted Incan walls high in the Andes, these feats dwarf our modern capabilities. Ancient civilizations moved stones many times larger than the LACMA boulder across seemingly impossible terrain, often without the wheel or even metal tools.
Despite centuries of study, we still don’t fully understand how they accomplished these incredible feats. Theories range from the use of sleds, rollers and ramps, to more speculative ideas involving lost technologies. The truth is, the ingenuity of our ancestors continues to baffle us, leaving us in awe of their capabilities and the mysteries that still surround their monumental achievements.
The Thunder Stone
The Thunder Stone, originally weighing around 1,500 tons before being carved down to approximately 1,250 tons, is one of the largest stones ever moved by humans. Its journey began in 1768 when Catherine the Great commissioned a statue of Peter the Great to be placed in St. Petersburg. The chosen base for this statue was a massive granite boulder located in a swamp near Lake Ladoga in Finland.
Moving this enormous stone presented a monumental challenge. The transportation process required innovative engineering solutions. Workers constructed metal tracks over which the stone could be rolled, utilizing ball bearings to reduce friction. This method was groundbreaking for its time.
The journey itself was fraught with difficulties. Workers had to navigate through dense forests, swamps, and uneven terrain, all while ensuring the stone remained stable. The sheer weight of the Thunder Stone meant that any miscalculation could lead to disaster—either damaging the stone or injuring workers.
Despite these challenges, after two years of laborious effort, the Thunder Stone was successfully transported 6 kilometers (approximately 3.7 miles) from its original location at Lakhta. It’s now as a base for the statue of Peter the Great in Senate Square.
LACMA’s Levitated Mass
Fast forward to 2012, when artist Michael Heizer’s installation “Levitated Mass” involved moving a 340-ton boulder from a quarry in Riverside County, California, to LACMA in Los Angeles. This project required extensive planning and modern engineering techniques that echoed the challenges faced by ancient builders but on an entirely different scale.
To transport this massive stone over 105 miles through four counties and 22 cities, Emmert International designed a specialized transporter with 206 wheels. This custom-built cradle was essential for distributing the weight evenly and preventing damage to roads along the route. The logistics involved were staggering.
On April 10, 2012, after months of preparation and anticipation, “Levitated Mass” began its slow journey through Southern California. The sight of this enormous boulder being transported captivated onlookers who lined the streets to witness history in motion. Despite facing obstacles such as delays due to weather conditions and unexpected road closures, the project ultimately succeeded.
