How were the Parthenon’s marble blocks fitted together without mortar?

The marble blocks of the Parthenon were fitted together without mortar through a combination of meticulous hand-carving and the use of metal fasteners.

To ensure the stones fit together with extreme precision, masons carved and trimmed each block by hand on-site. To secure these blocks to one another, builders utilized metal cramps and dowels. This method of dry-stone construction relied on the high quality of the masonry rather than adhesive binding agents, which were almost never used in the temple's construction.12

Additionally, the blocks were moved and positioned using lifting machinery, such as pulleys, ropes, and wooden cranes; evidence of this process remains visible today in the form of grooves and holes on the concealed faces of the stones, which were used to engage the ropes during assembly.12