A monolith is a large, solid, and generally immobile stone, both natural and man-made. Some prefer the term megalith to differentiate human intervention. They have been used in construction and sculpture, creating epic monuments and supporting architectural elements. The term is also used to describe something or someone astounding.
The term “monolith” is used in several ways. Basically, a monolith is a really big stone, and there are both natural monoliths, like Uluru in Australia, and man-made monoliths, like the standing stones at Stonehenge. Technically, of course, the standing stones are of natural origin, but they have been shaped and moved by people. Some people prefer the term “megalith” to refer to architectural and sculptural monoliths, differentiating the results of natural processes from the results of human intervention.
This word comes from the Greek and literally means “single stone”. When people refer to something as a monolith, they mean it’s extremely large, solid, and generally immobile. Some mountains are referred to as standing stones, along with geological features such as huge veins of rock exposed by erosion. Natural monoliths have long been a topic of interest to humans, as their sheer size can be very impressive and formidable.
Some notable natural standing stones include: El Capitan, Zuma Rock, the Rock of Gibraltar, Savandurga and the Towers of Paine. Many of these natural monoliths have eroded into interesting and fanciful shapes that have sometimes inspired myths and legends, such as the Old Man of the Mountain in New Hampshire.
Humans have historically used monoliths in construction and sculpture, creating epic monuments that are testaments to complex cultures. Megaliths have been carved into intricate and stunning sculptures, used as supporting architectural elements in tombs, temples and palaces, and sometimes carved in situ, as is the case at Mount Rushmore. The amount of work involved in building a megalith is considerable, involving advanced technology and huge amounts of labor, and many people have speculated about famous mysterious megaliths, such as the huge figures on Easter Island.
The use of large stones in art and architecture is so widespread that you can probably find a megalith relatively close by if you do a little hunting. Obelisks, for example, are common forms of megaliths used to mark important sites and to commemorate extraordinary people and events, and are found in many communities.
Because a monolith generally inspires awe, some people also use the term more generally to talk about something or someone astounding, which is why you may hear someone refer to “a monolith of such and such an industry” or a distinctive building as a monolith.
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