It is generally accepted that the Roman Empire emerged on the basis of the Etruscan civilization. Where did the Etruscans go, why they abandoned their buildings - historians have no answer. Rather, there is an assumption that they disappeared into the Roman Empire. And if they left? It’s just that people don’t leave their city. And to dissolve in another people - this also needs a reason: the resettlement of foreign peoples due to disasters. The disappearance of the indigenous people for this reason and the arrival of new ones in their place is possible.
Here are some examples of megalithic walls that the Romans certainly did not build. And this is even reported openly in some places.
Acropolis of Alatri
Polygonal masonry with very strong erosion.
Promotional video:
It clearly shows that it has an age of more than one hundred years (and maybe thousands). The wall is clearly ancient. Why it was necessary to make such huge blocks as in Peru is not clear. After all, it is much easier to build masonry from smaller blocks. This was probably done due to the use of mortarless masonry technology. Either they are castings from ancient concrete (or geo-concrete).
Watch this short video - shooting from above. It can be seen that the acropolis wall is a retaining wall, not a fortress. Inside, soil is poured or walls support the top of the hill.
Screenshot from the video for clarity. Why was such a retaining wall needed?
After watching several videos about the town of Alatri, I saw similar huge blocks at the base of many city buildings and houses. But they have already been completed in small blocks and rubble stone.
It says that the date of the city's foundation is unknown. But it is known for sure that it belongs to the pre-Roman period.
Ruins of the city of Alba Fucens (Alba Fucens)
Excavations of the city were carried out only in 1949.
Although it is considered as a Roman city, it is clear that polygonal masonry is not typical of that era. Most likely the Romans settled here on the basis of something more ancient. Reconstructors and archaeologists have added more to their visibility, restored the masonry from a small stone break.
Wall in the city of Amelia (Amelia)
The wall was being completed from debris and mortar.
And the megalithic blocks themselves are folded according to solution-free polygonal technology.
The difference in approach and technology is obvious. Historians believe that the city was founded in 1100 BC.
There is also a megalithic wall in the ancient Roman city of Toscana:
Also a construction with polygonal masonry techniques. It is believed that polygonal masonry is more earthquake-resistant than rectangular blocks. And the large weight of the stones did not allow them to move with the formation of wide cracks. Both here and in Peru there were the same techniques in construction technologies.
Another place in Italy:
If you look at a number of photographs, you can see the eras in construction: pre-Roman period of megalithic blocks, Roman masonry of rectangular blocks and medieval brickwork with plaster. It turns out that there are a lot of examples of buildings with pre-Roman foundations in Italy. Many are still residential buildings.
I will end this selection of examples to Roman foundations and walls with the ruins of the city of Norba:
The second photo is like a tower in Peru. Polygonal masonry is very similar there and in Italy.
A few more examples follow the link.
On the Russian-language Internet, there is practically no information about polygonal masonry before the Roman era. Archaeologists are not interested in the secrets of solving how and for what exactly the ancients built in this way. They are interested in finds during excavations.
There is another explanation for such complex walls made of huge blocks. But more on that next time.
Author: sibved