3,500 Years Ago, Stone Pillar Was Abandoned During Construction In Egypt (Pics)

The Unfinished Obelisk

Aswan in Egypt is known for its granite.

The pyramids and numerous temples in Aswan (like Abu Simbel Temple, Kom Ombo Temple) and other parts of the country were built by the granite supplied from Aswan.

The Unfinished Obelisk lying in the rock mountain of red granite offers insight into the procurement of these rocks and a very brief idea of their construction method.

The Obelisk as it lies today is a 42meters long monolith whose three sides can be seen.

The structure is without any inscriptions and weighs around 1,200tons.

It is the single heaviest obelisk in Egypt.

During construction, the structure cited a flaw, large crack appeared when breaking it free from its parent body.

The workers in all their disappointment abandoned the structure which was not detached from the parent rock.

In those days’ craftsman carved monuments directly from the mother rock.

Masons used round stone boulders to smoothen the jutting edges.

These round boulders are seen lying scattered in the site of the Obelisk.

It is believed that Hatshepsut, queen of king Tuthmosis II ordered the building of this monument almost 3,500 years ago.

She wanted the obelisk to be placed in front of the Karnak Temple in Luxor.

King Thutmose III tried to restore the obelisk without success.

Is the largest and heaviest Obelisk ever constructed.

3,500 years old scooping/drilling/chisel marks still appear on the sides of the pillar.

But the marks are so perfect and straight. Looks like a high tech equipment.

Obelisk erected in front of ancient temples in Egypt.