Mons Claudianus Quarries

 quarry, archeological site, Roman Empire, tourist attraction

The polygraph describes the whole area that was exploited by the Roman Empire to cut columns, water basins and other sculptures out of the diorite rocks. The most intensive works took place in the times of Trajan and Hadrian, when the columns for the Pantheon and the Forum Romanum were cut here. The area comprizes two major camps (called Mons Claudianus I and II) and many quarries in the mountains (with the largest column ever cut in one piece, but that broke when trying to transport) , different ramps for the transportation and areas where the pieces were loaden for the transport to the Nile to bring them to Rome. The camps were supplied by water via an aquaduc from the Bir Mitgal in the southern valley (still can be seen today).