- Unfinished obelisk
The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient
obelisk , located in the northern region of thestone quarries of ancient Egypt inAswan (Assuan),Egypt . It is nearly one third larger than anyancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. If finished it would have measured around 42 m (120 feet) and would have weighted nearly 1,200 tons. [cite book | last = Bard | first = Kathryn | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt | publisher = Routledge | date = 1999 | location = | pages = 587 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=XNdgScxtirYC&pg=RA1-PA587&dq=%22unfinished+obelisk%22&ei=xcBDSIyRJ8PSiwHU-6CIBQ&client=firefox-a&sig=ZuCjFuemBUYbCCSUlTjSkNi6M8o | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-0415185899 ] Scientists speculate that it was intended to complement the so-calledLateran Obelisk which was originally atKarnak and is now outside the Lateran Palace in Rome. (Thutmose III obelisk in Lateran, Rome: 105 ft)The obelisk's creators began to carve it directly out of
bedrock , but cracks appeared in the granite and the project was abandoned. Originally it was thought that the stone had an undetected flaw but it is also possible that the quarrying process allowed the cracking to develop by releasing the stress. The bottom side of the obelisk is still attached to the bedrock. The unfinished obelisk offers unusual insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques, with marks from workers' tools still clearly visible as well as ocher-colored lines marking where they were working. [cite book | last = Bard | first = Kathryn | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt | publisher = Routledge | date = 1999 | location = | pages = 587 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=XNdgScxtirYC&pg=RA1-PA587&dq=%22unfinished+obelisk%22&ei=xcBDSIyRJ8PSiwHU-6CIBQ&client=firefox-a&sig=ZuCjFuemBUYbCCSUlTjSkNi6M8o | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-0415185899 ]Besides the unfinished obelisk, an unfinished partly worked obelisk base was discovered in
2005 at the quarries of Aswan. [ [http://www.quarryscapes.no/news_dec1_05.php QuarryScapes ] ] Also discovered were some rock carvings and remains that may correspond to the site where most of the famous obelisks were worked. All these quarries in Aswan and the unfinished objects are anopen air museum and are officially protected by the Egyptian government as an archeological site.ee also
*
Obelisk building technology in ancient Egypt Notes
External links
* [http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/aswan/obelisk.html Unfinished Obelisk in situ]
* [http://www.cheops-pyramide.ch/foto/steinbearbeitung/assuan-obelisk.jpgAerial photograph of the unfinished obelisk, at the quarry area]
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