Old style stone quarrying in Switzerland and information on ancient quarry techniques

Those interested in stone quarrying and how the ancient may have shaped stones may find this of interest. It about a sandstone quarry in Switzerland that used a very old technique for removing the stone until recent times.


Pickaxe

Even until the 1950s the quarrymen in Berne extracted their sandstone using pickaxes. They carved out trenches around the blocks to be removed, not unlike the way their colleagues did 5.000 years ago in ancient Egypt.

The caption that goes with the image above

The difference between cutting trenches with chisel and mallets (straight lines), and pickaxe (curved marks). Small Graeco-Roman quarry at Elkab, Upper Egypt

An interesting way to move the stones down - dump them over the side into sand.

a reply to: Hanslune
Nice Hans,
I read a write up last year about a similar quarry in France, where they wee using the same tools as use 200 years ago.

Really fantastic page, not only was it a fascinating read, the subject matter was presented in a way that bridges the gap between ancient and more recent quarrying techniques in a well-illustrated way.

We have a large number of old quarries in my hometown, most closed between the 30's and 50's, and the last closed in the 80's. The older ones also show trenches between extracted blocks had been worked with pickaxes. At least they weren't forced to use pound stones.

Noooooo Hans.....get with the program....ALIENS.

/sarc

On topic. cool thread. I learn a lot from you. Being the lazy researcher I am.

That works with sandstone all right. Try that with granite. Keep in mind ancient Egyptians had copper tools, not steel tools.

The hike in Switzerland seems like a great feild trip or family trip. Thanks for posting.

originally posted by: groingrinder
That works with sandstone all right. Try that with granite. Keep in mind ancient Egyptians had copper tools, not steel tools.

But they didn't use copper or steel to quarry granite.

They used pounding stones.

There really is absolutely no question whatsoever about this.

Harte

originally posted by: Hanslune
Those interested in stone quarrying and how the ancient may have shaped stones may find this of interest. It about a sandstone quarry in Switzerland that used a very old technique for removing the stone until recent times.


Pickaxe

Even until the 1950s the quarrymen in Berne extracted their sandstone using pickaxes. They carved out trenches around the blocks to be removed, not unlike the way their colleagues did 5.000 years ago in ancient Egypt.

The caption that goes with the image above

The difference between cutting trenches with chisel and mallets (straight lines), and pickaxe (curved marks). Small Graeco-Roman quarry at Elkab, Upper Egypt

An interesting way to move the stones down - dump them over the side into sand.

Look at the illustration,the quarry workers have no faces!This proves all stone was quarried by aliens!

originally posted by: groingrinder
That works with sandstone all right. Try that with granite. Keep in mind ancient Egyptians had copper tools, not steel tools.

Yes they used hard diorite hammers but what is interesting is that they used the same trenching technique in Switzerland 4,500 years later. The difference being modern men used iron picks and the AE diorite hammer stones.

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
The hike in Switzerland seems like a great feild trip or family trip. Thanks for posting.

Its a great place and may I suggest going to Zermat and the Hotel Matterhornblick. Truly one of the world great experiences.

originally posted by: Sunwolf

Look at the illustration,the quarry workers have no faces!This proves all stone was quarried by aliens!

Hmmmm, Indeed, I think we have found our test subject for the WGIIP18H testing!

originally posted by: Sunwolf
Look at the illustration,the quarry workers have no faces!This proves all stone was quarried by aliens!

Hate to burst your bubble, but aliens do have faces.

Harte

originally posted by: Harte

originally posted by: Sunwolf
Look at the illustration,the quarry workers have no faces!This proves all stone was quarried by aliens!

Hate to burst your bubble, but aliens do have faces.

Harte

AND you know that how? lol.

originally posted by: Hanslune

originally posted by: Harte

originally posted by: Sunwolf
Look at the illustration,the quarry workers have no faces!This proves all stone was quarried by aliens!

Hate to burst your bubble, but aliens do have faces.

Harte

AND you know that how? lol.

I've seen the rock paintings, Hans.

Stop conspiratorizin' against us.

Harte

a reply to: Harte

I've seen the rock paintings, Hans.

Stop conspiratorizin' against us.

And here I figured it was when you stood in front of a mirror...
That's right, I went there.

originally posted by: Harte

I've seen the rock paintings, Hans.

Stop conspiratorizin' against us.

Harte

How do we know you're not playing a Dr. Solomon on us?