A colossal statue is one that is more than twice life-size.Collins online dictionary: Colossal "2. (in figure sculpture) approximately twice life-size."; entry in the Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus® Online This is a list of colossal statues and other sculptures that were created, mostly or all carved, and remain in situ. This list includes two colossal stones that were intended to be moved. However, they were never broken free of the quarry in which they were carved, and therefore they would be considered carved in situ. Most of these were carved in ancient times.
In many cases, especially in India, these sculptures were carved out of softer rocks like sandstone or volcanic tuff. However, in some cases they were carved out of harder rocks like basalt, or even granite in the case of the unfinished obelisk in Egypt. The Egyptians may have been limited to using dolerite balls to chip away at the granite.Edwards, Dr. I.E.S.: The Pyramids of Egypt 1986/1947 p. 269-273 Dynamite was used in the carving of Mount Rushmore's Shrine of Democracy, one of the few colossal sculptures that was carved out of granite.
Africa
Egypt Great Sphinx of Giza – limestone Abu Simbel temples – sandstone The unfinished obelisk at Aswan – granite Seti I – limestone
Ethiopia Lalibela – tuff Church of Saint George, Lalibela – tuff
Asia
Afghanistan Buddhas of Bamiyan, destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban
China Bingling Temple Leshan Giant Buddha Mengshan Giant Buddha Renshou Giant Buddha Rongxian Giant Buddha
India
Ajanta Caves Badami Cave Temples Barabar Caves Cave temples Elephanta Caves Ellora Caves Gommateshwara statue Gopachal rock-cut Jain monuments Kailashnath Temple, Ellora Kanheri Caves Mahabalipuram Vijayanagara
Iran Behistun Naqsh-e Rostam Taq-e Bostan Colossal Statue of Shapur I, Shapur cave
Jordan Petra
Lebanon The stone of the south
Saudi Arabia Mada'in Saleh
Sri Lanka Avukana Buddha statue Gal Vihara Sigiriya
Turkey Cappadocia Tombs of the kings of Pontus Rock tombs Mount Nemrut
Americas
Colombia Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca
Ecuador El poder brutal, Quito
Peru Chachapoya cliff tombs at RevashArcheology magazine Jan/Feb 2008 p. 40-45 Chavín de Huantar's Old TempleThe Early Ceremonial Center of Chavín de Huántar, Berger p. 130
United States Mount Rushmore, South Dakota – granite Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota – pegmatite granite (work in progress) Stone Mountain, Georgia – granite
Europe
Armenia Geghard Monastery
Bulgaria Madara Rider
Czech Republic Čertovy hlavy
Greece Lion of Bavaria, Nafplio
Italy Pantalica, Sicily Santoni, Sicily Sassi di Matera, Basilicata Il Gigante, Monterosso al Mare
Poland Wieliczka Salt Mine
Romania Rock sculpture of Decebalus
Switzerland Lion Monument
See also Rock-cut architecture Indian rock-cut architecture List of statues; by height; in U.S. List of Roman domes List of tallest statues New 7 Wonders of the World
References