Beautifully carved sculptures adorning the Kailasa Mandir, Cave No. 16, Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Kailasa Temple has been dubbed as ‘Cave 16’ of the Ellora Caves, and is notable for being the largest monolithic structure in the world that was carved out of a single piece of rock. Apart from the temple’s impressive size, it is also remarkable for its sculptures, as well as for the fine workmanship of its other architectural elements. The Kailasa Temple [known also as the Kailasanatha (which translates as ‘Lord of Kailasa’) Temple] is an ancient Hindu temple located in the western Indian region of Maharashtra. This temple is part of the Ellora Caves (UNESCO World Heritage Site), a religious complex consisting of 34 rock-cut monasteries and temples. This temple derives its name from Mount Kailasa, the Himalayan abode of the Hindu god Shiva. It is generally believed that this temple was constructed in the 8th century AD, during the reign of Krishna I, a ruler
The Mystery of the Shell Grotto There exists a mystifying place in England, a subterranean world of man-made tunnels and passageways completely covered in sea shells. An estimated 4.6 million of them adorn the walls, ceilings and altar in an array of artistic patterns and abstract symbols. There exists no historical information on the Shell Grotto’s origins, purpose or age. There isn’t even any local folklore. But many historians believe what we are looking at could be thousands of years old. School headmaster James Newlove and his son Joshua were clearing land in the seaside town of Margate, Kent, in 1835 when a cap stone was moved resulting in a deep hole opening up in the earth. Armed with a lamp and tied to a rope, story has it that young Joshua was lowered down by his dad for a closer look. And so goes the first known account of what would soon become known as the Shell Grotto. Gaining popularity, the site became a tourist attraction in the Victorian era where oddities
Melted stairs in the Temple of Hathor. The stairs to the Temple of Hathor are a complete mystery to archeology. Built in pure granite, they are completely melted. The splendid complex built in honor of the goddess Hathor, one of the most prominent deities in Ancient Egypt. However, the most controversial was the molten ladder to the Temple of Hathor. The complex measures about 400 square meters. The complex is made up of several large and small rooms, a warehouse, a laboratory, shrines and numerous representations of Cleopatra VI. On the west side of the temple, there is a ladder leading to the roof. Its decoration consists of beautiful images of the pharaoh, the goddess and the priests. The steps of the ladder in the temple of Hathor were completely melted. Something that science has not been able to explain in any way, as they are built in solid granite. Extremely high temperatures are required to melt solid granite stone. When the steps of the ladder of the Temple of Hat
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