Blocks of stone were transported by boat and when the situation required, ox cart. To avoid the risk of damage the blocks would be trimmed to rough size and finished at the site. Stone shavings, resulting from the finish work, have been excavated from these sites.
Believe it or not, limestone columns were turned on a lathe as a single monolithic block. The last columns made this way were used in the temple of Aphaia on the island of Aigina in the early fifth century B.C. The monolithic column was then replaced with those built in sections called drums. The drums were held together with wooden dowels.