Uploaded on 2014-11-23 by LighteningKid

"The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia and over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble." Even the workers were from around the world: "A labour force of twenty thousand workers was recruited across northern India. Sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlayers from southern India, stonecutters from Baluchistan, a specialist in building turrets, another who carved only marble flowers were part of the thirty-seven men who formed the creative unit." ![The Taj Mahal][1] ![Close up view of the Taj Mahal][2] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1416782576266948.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1416782598821515.jpg