Sixth century blocks of hewn granite form the base of the tower of Saint George. Crosses were carved into the stones at regular intervals around the monastery. Some stones have a lunate sigma or other Greek letter carved into the face. These have been identified as quarry marks.
Dear Father Justin,
You always have such interesting photographs. Where the building material quarried locally or transported? Is the quarry location known?
Best Regards.
Richard
Sinai was so remote that the builders had to use the local granite. Even now you can see the beds where they broke away the stones for the walls. The columns in the basilica are single shafts of granite, with what appear to be drums and a base all carved out of the solid rock. It is astonishing that they were able to hew these columns from the local stone, and then stand them upright, all properly aligned, in this remote desert. They were clearly working at the command of the emperor. And their work has stood now for over 1400 years.
Dear Father Justin, thank you very much for all the precious divine pictures and information.!