List of colossal sculptures in situ
A colossal statue is one that is more than twice life-size.[1] This is a list of colossal statues and other sculptures that were created, mostly or all carved, and remain in situ. This list includes two colossal stones that were intended to be moved. However, they were never broken free of the quarry in which they were carved, and therefore they would be considered carved in situ. Most of these were carved in ancient times.
In many cases, especially in India, these sculptures were carved out of softer rocks like sandstone or volcanic tuff. However, in some cases they were carved out of harder rocks like basalt, or even granite in the case of the unfinished obelisk in Egypt. The Egyptians may have been limited to using 4.5-kilogram (10-pound) dolerite balls to chip away at the granite.[2] Dynamite was used in the carving of Mount Rushmore's Shrine of Democracy, one of the few colossal sculptures that was carved out of granite.
Africa edit
Egypt edit
- Great Sphinx of Giza – limestone
- Abu Simbel temples – sandstone
- The unfinished obelisk at Aswan – granite
- Seti I[citation needed] – limestone
Ethiopia edit
- Lalibela – tuff
Asia edit
Afghanistan edit
- Buddhas of Bamiyan, destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban
Armenia edit
China edit
- Fuxi sculpture at Xianshan Mountain, Xiangyang
- Leshan Giant Buddha
- Bingling Temple
India edit
- Ajanta Caves
- Badami Cave Temples
- Barabar Caves
- Cave temples
- Elephanta Caves
- Ellora Caves
- Kailashnath Temple, Ellora
- Kanheri Caves
- Mahabalipuram
- Vijayanagara
Iran edit
Jordan edit
Lebanon edit
Saudi Arabia edit
Sri Lanka edit
Turkey edit
Americas edit
Colombia edit
Ecuador edit
Peru edit
- Chachapoya cliff tombs at Revash[3]
- Chavín de Huantar's Old Temple[4]
United States edit
- Mount Rushmore, South Dakota – granite
- Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota – pegmatite granite (work in progress)
- Stone Mountain, Georgia – granite
Europe edit
Bulgaria edit
Czech Republic edit
Greece edit
- Lion of Bavaria, Nafplio
Italy edit
- Pantalica, Sicily
- Santoni, Sicily
- Sassi di Matera, Basilicata
Poland edit
Romania edit
Switzerland edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Collins online dictionary: Colossal "2. (in figure sculpture) approximately twice life-size."; entry in the Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus® Online
- ^ Edwards, Dr. I.E.S.: The Pyramids of Egypt 1986/1947 p. 269-273
- ^ Archeology magazine Jan/Feb 2008 p. 40-45
- ^ The Early Ceremonial Center of Chavín de Huántar, Berger p. 130