ROUGH STONE MONUMENTS 



not usual in the older and simpler dolmens to dress 

 the stones in any way, though in the later and 

 more complicated structures well-worked blocks 

 were often used. 



The required stones having been found it was 

 now necessary to move them to the spot. This 

 could be done in two ways. The first and 

 simpler is 'that which we see pictured on Egyptian 

 monuments, such as the tomb of Tahutihotep at 

 El Bersheh. A rough road of beams is laid in the 

 required direction, and wooden rollers are placed 

 under the stone on this road. Large numbers of 

 men or oxen then drag the stone along by means 

 of ropes attached to it. Other labourers assist 

 the work from behind with levers, and replace the 

 rollers in front of the stone as fast as they pass 

 out behind. Those who have seen the modern 

 Arabs in excavation work move huge blocks with 

 wooden levers and palm-leaf rope will realize that 

 for the building of the dolmens little was needed 

 except numbers and time. 



The other method of moving the stones is as 

 follows : a gentle slope of hard earth covered 

 with wet clay is built with its higher extremity 

 close beside the block to be moved. As many men 

 as there is room for stand on each side of the 

 block, and with levers resting on beams or stones 

 as fulcra, raise the stone vertically as far as possible. 

 Other men then fill up the space beneath it with 

 earth and stones. The process is next repeated 



8 



