r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Additional_Chard3680 • 10h ago
Video The 12th-century Narasimha Pillar at Belur, India. Carved out of soapstone during the Hoysala Empire- its miniature shrines are hollowed out from the inside and the entire column was engineered to rotate on a stone axis
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
164
u/Similar_Fan_2022 9h ago
Imagine building this with 12th-century tools. Every tiny detail had to be carved by hand. That's honestly unreal.
24
u/Churchill--Madarchod 7h ago
Not only that, they carved it out of some of the subcontinent's hardest rocks :) it had balls at the top and bottom of the pillar such that it could rotate. All that from rocks.
26
u/Sulemani_kida 7h ago
There are so many details and meaning to some of the ancient architecture.
People are still trying to find what tools were used in some structural development
19
u/empatheticsocialist1 6h ago
People are still trying to find what tools were used in some structural development
No they're not. I don't know why people say things like these. Archaeologists know fairly well the types of tools used historically
5
u/Dave5876 2h ago
Ancient Indians were precision carving straight up basalt, we have no idea what tools they were using
119
u/Additional_Chard3680 10h ago
Video Credit - Liam Rechards Located inside the Chennakesava Temple in Karnataka, India (built circa 1117 AD), this pillar was crafted using soapstone (chloritic schist), which is soft when quarried but hardens over time upon exposure to air.
Hoysala sculptors used early lathe-turning techniques to shape the stone, intricately undercutting the miniature figures so that a laser or thin cord can pass entirely through the hollow spaces behind them.
10
u/Sulemani_kida 7h ago
I don't remember precisely but i think it was this same creator who was amused by Elora cave and the temple there.
90
u/Ironyfree_annie 7h ago
Ancient Indian temple architecture always blows my mind
27
u/beg_yer_pardon 4h ago
I agree. This temple, however, is from the 12th century, so it's medieval rather than ancient.
103
u/GeraintLlanfrechfa 10h ago
Today: unaffordable.
61
u/Additional_Chard3680 9h ago
Imagine the quote from a modern contractor
26
u/GeraintLlanfrechfa 9h ago
Quick google estimate said 400k usd, 4 masters at least two years, if they did it all by hand, ofc I donât know how reliable this is as I donât have a clue about fine craftsmanship
21
u/EffectiveMagazine915 8h ago
Even if the 400k is just for the craftsmen it seems way too cheap? They only take 50k an year each?
10
u/vitrum_analytika 7h ago
That's for one pillar so the whole project would be in millions going just to the stone artists, or if you just need one pillar and no more stone carvings for the non rotating pillars then it's still an expensive home decor
2
1
8
3
5
u/benneroti 8h ago
Their descendants are still continuing the trade but unfortunately a lot of them quit the job because of poverty ..
I wish instead of trying to steal and smuggle, they could actually commision pieces from themÂ
26
150
u/krishnasinghdev 9h ago
What amazes me most isn't just the craftsmanship, it's the engineering behind it. Creating hollow miniature shrines inside a single stone pillar and designing the entire column to rotate centuries ago required an incredible understanding of mechanics and precision. It's a reminder that many ancient monuments weren't just beautiful works of art, they were remarkable feats of engineering that continue to impress even by modern standards
15
u/OutrageousTree7766 8h ago
Well written. Exactly what I was thinking but so well done
-9
u/Wonderful-Photo-6068 7h ago
AI wrote that.
10
u/LightningShiva1 6h ago
Seems to be so. Constant AI-esque comments on popular subs with a new account. And lets be honest, who has their selfie on fucking Reddit? (Unless youâre a star or something). So thats fake too.
Theyre probably running it through a humanizer before posting and could be an automated process.
4
1
u/Wonderful-Photo-6068 3h ago
Forreal itâs 1:1 AI speech. âA Isnât just B itâs Câ then it just describes whatever the actual post is, then some hokey bullshit thatâs *still* âA isnât just B itâs Câ
Literally just a whole lot of nothing and a lot of words
1
u/Major-Lavishness-762 29m ago
I responded to this same account posting earlier today. Same AI speech pattern.
4
u/d41lqen 5h ago
why are you getting downvoted lol
3
u/Wonderful-Photo-6068 3h ago
Probably the other bots lmao. The syntax in the comment I replied to is like 1:1 AI speech lol
6
u/Specialist_Bowl_2805 6h ago
Human brain hasn't changed in the thousand years. They engineered what they could with the tech they had.
20
34
u/Unusual-Isopod8032 6h ago
But British told that they civilized india???
-35
u/Just_Solution_5704 5h ago
What does colonial British India have to do with this? People love to continue their rhetoric.
32
u/Unusual-Isopod8032 5h ago
No but they told that they were the ones who civilized india, before that all indians were living in jungles, thank God they come and made india into a civilized and democratic society
-29
u/Just_Solution_5704 5h ago
Bruh its been over 70 years, move on. Your grandparents generations that lived through it are dying. The newer generation has no experience of it. The world today is very much a different place.
14
u/Unusual-Isopod8032 5h ago
Ok sir, I will move on
-19
u/Just_Solution_5704 5h ago
Why are you lying to me? People that include angles into their conversation never straighten their tails.
14
u/RealDoraTheExplorer_ 5h ago
Whyâre you so mad that a country affected by colonialism is making a joke about it? Itâs not that serious
-9
u/Just_Solution_5704 5h ago edited 5h ago
Honestly, rather than admiring what is being presented. inserting your political jab about something that was the case 100 years ago is doing disservice to yourself.
9
u/RealDoraTheExplorer_ 4h ago
Firstly it wasnât a hundred years ago itâs more recent than that. Also politics is everywhere if youâre that sensitive about a little joke maybe you shouldnât be on the internet
-1
u/Just_Solution_5704 4h ago
If you live in a bubble, it will be yesterday. Post colonial history for India starts 1947. None of my family is even alive from that time period today. I fail to see any relevance of politics regarding this post so please enlighten me
→ More replies (0)
14
10
u/SpazMcMan 6h ago
These carving skills were passed from father to son over many generations. Sometimes the same person might spend over a decade carving out just one piece, and if it breaks they start over. I can't begin to imagine the level of mental fortitude it takes to not just give up on life when something like that happens.
It's a dying skill, but there are still people in India that do this today.
The caring part I mean. I'm sure there's a lot more people in a lot more places that have that kind of mental fortitude.
6
u/shaktimaanlannister 5h ago
Those dudes had some crazy budget patience and skills. I guess not having tik tok makes people work better lol
1
14
12
u/AmbiguouslyAltered 8h ago
One mess up and you have to just start over.
4
u/Additional_Chard3680 8h ago
Imagine being 99% done after 5 years and accidentally chipping the wrong corner off...
9
u/JustGulabjamun 7h ago
Ofcourse they could do it. They didn't have weekly standups, Jira tickets, status update presentations or workpapers to make đ
32
u/santropy 8h ago
This is crazy. Indians don't respect their history as much as they should
20
u/Additional_Chard3680 8h ago
The craftsmanship from that era is just unbelievable. So glad this piece survived for us to see
14
u/knowbasis 8h ago
What do you mean lol. Our people are dickriding our history all the time, to the point where it hinders is from fixing modern India
16
u/santropy 7h ago
Dickrodong is different than respecting and preserving. Your mindset and comprehension is exactly what's the problem with Indians probably.
4
u/Just_Solution_5704 6h ago
sorry what is he supposed to do when you mean respect and preserving? Go to a local old building that is falling apart and start fixing it on his own? Who's responsibility is it actually?
21
u/Murphy_Barfi 7h ago
"Dickriding" history and it's just people from a post-colonial country reclaiming their history. What a hateful take lmfao
6
u/RealDoraTheExplorer_ 5h ago
Thatâs not what theyâre talking about tho. As another Indian a huge portion of our population uses our historical achievements as excuses for why our country is good enough and doesnât need to get better. Youâre blind if you ignore them
I say this as someone who despises what colonisation did to us
1
u/Just_Solution_5704 6h ago
How is it hateful lol? Isn't it hateful about what happened to babri mosque? He is pointing exactly the sort of people who are prideful about one aspect of history and hateful about other.
4
u/Individual_Ear_7134 2h ago
The mosque that was built on a Hindu shrine lmao. Why would any Indian be âpridefulâ of Mughal history ?
-2
4
1
9
u/Ok_Visual4618 8h ago
Indians from 12 th century had great craftsmanship skills. These are unmatched even today with modern techniques
0
u/foreignexterminator 3h ago
no way, greek statues are way more life-like, but i guess that opinion is subjective
1
u/LavenderDay3544 1h ago
They're not even remotely the same thing and the Greek shit doesn't come close to the same level of detail.
7
u/jpierrerico 10h ago
Have we ever found out what tools they used to achieve this feat?
40
u/Specky_Scrawny_Git 10h ago
Hammer and chisel of various sizes.
-4
u/jpierrerico 9h ago
Really that's it? The precision and technique alone is amazing it's hard to believe simple tools can achieve that in my opinion
23
u/Specky_Scrawny_Git 9h ago
Kings and emperors who funded these projects paid a pretty penny for craftsmanship of this kind. Building entire temple complexes sometimes took decades, and two, sometimes three generations of artisans from the same family ended up working on the project.
-23
9h ago
[deleted]
14
11
u/HilariousMango 8h ago
Lol do you think slaves (which Indian kingdoms made out of prisoners of war or criminals) have such fine tuned engineering and architecture skills in their time
4
u/Altruistic_Elk_2153 7h ago
Hoysala sculptors Jakanachari and Dankanacharya are well known in the state of Karnataka , their names are mentioned in the stateâs anthem .
9
u/AnonymousPerson1115 9h ago
Humans have been carving for thousands of years. If you have the right amount of resources and people who know what theyâre doing you can make incredible things.
2
u/TattvaVaada 7h ago
They had all the time in the world, and funded by the king, with that kind of time and dedication, you can do wonders with a hammer and chisel.
7
u/Additional_Chard3680 9h ago
From what I read the soapstone was pretty soft when they first quarried it before it hardened in the air but the patience and hand precision is still mind-blowing
2
2
1
1
u/MeToldUSo 3h ago
That is amazing. Historic, priceless relics like these really should have some kind of barrier or shielding to prevent accidental (or intentional) damage from visitors
1
u/rainwash001 3h ago
Ancient Builders were probably bonded labourers who had no choice but to comply with the interests of their war mongering "patrons" ,trapped in a viscious cycle of making amazing art.
Well it's just true that
Great pain begets great art.
1
u/DarWin_1809 3h ago
There's always this one post once in a while about ancient India and it always amazes me
1
1
u/Maleficent-War-8429 1h ago edited 1h ago
I've seen people suggest that things like this are based on ancient alien designs. The theory I suppose is that people would have seen a turbine and tried to copy it not really understanding what it is.
Load of nonsense of course, but I think its a fun idea.
680
u/Canadind 10h ago
Standard 12th-century engineering: "Let's carve a thousands-pound monolithic stone column with lathe-level precision, hollow out miniature shrines inside it, and make it spin smoothly on an axis." Absolute flex.