Nubiana

Spring 1964 - Spring 1965 D F E C B A e blocks are placed on trailers and towed by trucks to the storage area, where they are unloaded with an overhead crane on rails. Asbestos and straw sheets protect the blocks with colored decoration from the sun’s rays. Protecting the site Phase 1 Phase 2 1964 1965 1966 Early 1965 - April 1966 Cutting and dismantling A dam is built to protect the temple site from the rising waters while the complex is moved to higher ground. e fragile sandstone of the temples is protected by a mound of fine sand. e ceilings of the temples are shored with steel scaffolding. A B C Starting from the ceiling, the temples are segmented and dismantled into blocks weighing 20-30 tonnes. e interior is removed and then the vault of the façade, a er removing the sand mound. Excavation of the hill above the temples. e blocks are transported and placed in storage. F E D Number of blocks Great Temple Hill Weight in tonnes equal to the tonnage of 6 Titanics 265,000 Small Temple slightly more than the Titanic’s tonnage 55,000 835 235 7,764 Sheet-steel piling Artificial access tunnel 25% sand 75% rock Height 25 m Equal to an 8-story building above sea level Water level in 1976 183 m 380,000 m 3 Infill material