The Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan is an ancient granite obelisk that was never completed. It is located in a granite quarry in the northern region of Aswan and is one of the largest ancient obelisks ever discovered.
The obelisk was commissioned during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut in the 15th century BC and was intended to be the largest obelisk ever erected in Ancient Egypt. However, the obelisk was never finished, and the reason for its abandonment remains a mystery. It is believed that a flaw in the granite caused the obelisk to crack, which made it unusable and led to its abandonment. The obelisk is estimated to weigh around 1,200 tons and would have stood at a height of approximately 42 meters if it had been completed.
The Unfinished Obelisk provides a glimpse into the ancient quarrying techniques used by the Ancient Egyptians. It is still partly attached to the bedrock and visitors can see the marks left by the ancient quarry workers as they carved the obelisk out of the granite. The obelisk was carved using a combination of hammering, chiseling, and wedging techniques, and it would have been transported to its intended location using sledges and ropes.
In addition to its archaeological significance, the Unfinished Obelisk is also an important source of information about the geology of the area. The granite used to carve the obelisk is known as “red granite” and is unique to the area around Aswan. The quarry where the obelisk was found is still in use today, and visitors can see the quarrying techniques used by modern quarry workers.
The Unfinished Obelisk is a popular tourist attraction in Aswan and can be visited as part of a guided tour or independently. Visitors can explore the quarry and see the obelisk up close, as well as learn about the ancient quarrying techniques used by the Ancient Egyptians. The site also provides a unique perspective on the architectural and engineering achievements of the Ancient Egyptians, and the challenges they faced in constructing some of the largest and most impressive structures in human history.
It is not known exactly how long it took to carve the Unfinished Obelisk, but it is estimated that the quarrying process would have taken several months or even years to complete. The obelisk was carved out of a single piece of granite, and the Ancient Egyptians used a combination of hammering, chiseling, and wedging techniques to remove the stone from the bedrock.
The process of quarrying granite was a labor-intensive and time-consuming task. The Ancient Egyptians would have used copper or bronze tools to carve the granite, and they would have had to work carefully and precisely to avoid damaging the stone. The quarry workers would have also had to deal with the extreme heat and dust of the quarry, which would have made the work even more difficult.
Once the obelisk was carved out of the bedrock, it would have been transported to its intended location using sledges and ropes. The transportation process would have also been a difficult and time-consuming task, requiring a large work crew and careful planning to avoid damaging the obelisk.
While the exact amount of time it took to carve the Unfinished Obelisk is not known, it is clear that the quarrying process was a significant undertaking that required a great deal of skill and effort on the part of the Ancient Egyptians.
