Details: Written by: Automater; Category: 360 Archeology

Unfinished Obelisk is an unfinished ancient mystery in these Photosphere 360 address locations

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Gps Coordinates / 24.0768167,32.895205

Unfinished Obelisk Aswan Egypt PhotoSphere VR

Unfinished Obelisk, شياخة أولى،، قسم أسوان،، Aswan Governorate, Egypt

An unfinished carving of an ancient Obelisk, how they transported these items in Ancient Egypt might always remain a mystery. The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk and is located in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan, Egypt

Link Location Gps - 24.0768858

GPS Coordinates - 24.0768858,32.8949489

Lying as a sleeping giant in a bed of granite, the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt is an incredible look at the building methods of these monolithic monuments. It would have measured about 137 feet (42 meters) if completed and is estimated to weigh around 1,200 tons. It’s thought that the female pharaoh Hatshepsut commissioned the work during the 18th dynasty, more than 3,500 years ago.

Link Location Gps - 24.0769005

GPS Coordinates - 24.0769005,32.8954333

One of the more interesting aspects of the Unfinished Obelisk is that it allows us to see just how they would have liberated the mammoth structure from the bedrock had it not cracked. It sounds unbelievable, but wet wood was the answer. Workers carved small cavities in the stone, creating a line that is not unlike a perforated piece of paper. The slots were filled with sun dried wooden wedges. The wedges were then repeatedly soaked in water, and believe it or not, the expansion of this wood would cause the carved rock to break free from its home.

Take a tour of the obelisk then perhaps the local gift store

Link Location Gps / Gps Link 24.076894 / Gps Link 24.076967 / Gps Link 24.076372

Gps Coordinates / 24.076894,32.895456 / 24.076967,32.895706 / 24.076372,32.894019

Just what are obelisks? These four-sided, tapered monuments were called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians, but we now know them as obelisks—taken from the Greek word obeliskos. Typically placed at the entrances of temples, they are the hallmark of Ancient Egyptian ingenuity and engineering. So beloved by successive civilizations, more than half of the remaining ancient obelisks actually reside outside of Egypt, having been especially prized by the Romans. In fact, 13 are located in Italy.

Aerial View Of Unfinished Obelisk Aswan Egypt

GPS Coordinates - 24.0769005,32.8954333

So what happened to the Aswan obelisk that left it tracked in bedrock? Perhaps they got a little greedy with their capabilities, as it would have been 1/3 larger than any previously erected obelisk had the work gone to completion. Instead, a huge crack appeared as it was being freed from the bedrock, causing it to lay abandoned. Now, it functions as an open-air museum that gives great insight into the construction techniques of Ancient Egypt.