Resting inert on a granite bed, the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt, presents an astonishing insight into the construction techniques employed for these colossal monuments.
Had it been completed, this obelisk would have stood approximately 137 feet (42 meters) in height and weighed 1,200 tons. It’s believed that Pharaoh Hatshepsut commissioned this endeavor during the 18th Dynasty, over 3,500 years ago.
The enduring allure of ancient Egyptian civilization, its culture, lifestyle, and grand structures, persists as an enigma, a cryptic code for historians and archaeologists who have developed numerous theories attempting to decipher its mysteries.
Theories from human endeavors and divine influence seek to unravel how an ancient civilization displayed the capacity and skill to craft such intricate and elaborate architecture. Some even ponder whether they had interactions with intelligent extraterrestrial entities.
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Understanding Obelisks
Known as tekhenu in ancient Egypt, these four-sided, conical monuments—now referred to as obelisks—stood prominently at temple entrances, showcasing the pinnacle of old Egyptian engineering prowess.
These monuments were revered by succeeding civilizations, with more than half of these ancient obelisks residing beyond Egypt, notably cherished by the Romans.
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The Tale of the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan
In circa 1,500 BCE, Queen Hatshepsut sought to honor the creator god Atum-Re by constructing an obelisk, symbolizing his divine presence.
Devoted to Amon-Rê, a form of this deity, the queen envisioned erecting the largest obelisk in Egypt to adorn the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak in Thebes. To realize this grand vision, she commanded the quarrying of Aswan’s granite.
Under the guidance of royal architects, stonemasons meticulously selected the most homogeneous rock bench, smoothing its surface and outlining trenches to form the obelisk’s shape.
During the excavation of the lower portion, a loud thud echoed, followed by a heart-wrenching crack resonating through the stone. Rushing to the surface, workers discovered a significant fissure on the obelisk’s character—a devastating setback, rendering their toil futile.
Viewing this event as a divine omen, Hatshepsut relinquished the project, leaving her nephew and successor, Thutmose III, to complete the Karnak obelisks several years later. The unfinished obelisk stands as a testament to the abandoned ambition.
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Tools Utilized in the Obelisk’s Construction
The highest-quality granite in Egypt hailed from Aswan’s quarries, spanning six kilometers along the Nile. This red granite was preferred for pyramids, sarcophagi, interior decorations, and other significant structures.
The area around the First Cataract boasted plentiful granite boulders, becoming a sought-after export. Massive workforces incessantly extracted granite from the quarries, their tools leaving discernible marks on the rock surfaces.
Workers employed stone hammers crafted from the more complex basalt rock dolerite to chisel the granite. A distinctive method involved creating minuscule cavities along desired detachment lines, filling them with wood shavings saturated with water. As the wood expanded, it caused the stone to crack and eventually separate from the bedrock.
Despite the visibility of these techniques on the unfinished obelisk and quarries, details about other technological tools used in architecture or hard granite sculpting remain elusive.
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Historical Significance of the Unfinished Obelisk
Today, the Aswan Obelisk is an open-air museum offering a virtual journey into an ancient world veiled in mystery. This work’s original purpose and commissioner remain shrouded in obscurity, enhancing the intrigue surrounding this unfinished obelisk, a source of pride for the city of Aswan.
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