An obelisk (UK: /blsk/; US: /blsk/, from Greek - obeliskos,[1] diminutive of - obelos,

"spit, nail, pointed pillar"[2]) is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape
at the top. These were originally called "tekhenu" by the builders, the Ancient Egyptians. The Greeks who saw
them used the Greek 'obeliskos' to describe them, and this word passed into Latin and then English.[3] Ancient
obelisks were often monolithic, whereas most modern obelisks are made of several stones and can have interior
spaces.

The term stele is generally used for other monumental standing inscribed sculpted stones.

Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians, who placed them in pairs at the entrance
of temples. The word "obelisk" as used in English today is of Greek rather than Egyptian origin because
Herodotus, the Greek traveller, was one of the first classical writers to describe the objects. A number of ancient
Egyptian obelisks are known to have survived, plus the "Unfinished Obelisk" found partly hewn from its quarry
at Aswan. These obelisks are now dispersed around the world, and fewer than half of them remain in Egypt.

The earliest temple obelisk still in its original position is the 68-foot (20.7 m) 120-ton[4] red granite Obelisk of
Senusret I of the XIIth Dynasty at Al-Matariyyah part of Heliopolis.[5]

The obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and during the brief religious reformation of Akhenaten was said to be
a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. It was also thought that the god existed within the structure.

Egyptian Obelisks
What is an obelisk and what is its purpose? Obelisk Definition: An obelisk is a monumental tapering
column carved from a single block of stone (a monolith), with a square (or rectangular) cross-section and
capped with a pointed top called a pyramidion. The word Obelisk is derived from the Greek word
obeliskos meaning "needle". Obelisks were set in pairs, at the entrances of temples, and to some Old
Kingdom tombs and closely related to the cult of the Sun God Ra also known as Atum. Obelisks
symbolized the stability and the creative force of Atum. Obelisks were believed to act as magical
protection to the monuments such as temples and tombs.

History of Egyptian Obelisks

The Ancient Egyptians believed that the obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra and during the brief religious
reformation of Akhenaten was said to be a petrified ray of the aten, the sundisk. It was also thought that
the god existed within the structure of the obelisk. Obelisks therefore marked specific temples as a zone
of sun worship. Obelisks were placed in pairs before the temples with one on either side of the portal. On
each side of the obelisk a line of carved inscriptions of hieroglyphics containing the titles of the Pharaoh
and praising the god. The cap, or pyramidion, was sometimes sheathed with copper or another metal
which caught and reflected the rays of the sun.

Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut at Karnak

The Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut at Karnak is one of the most famous obelisks. Queen Hatshepsut was
the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt. The location of the Obelisk of Queen
Hatshepsutis the Karnak Great Temple of Amun. The Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut is the tallest obelisk
in Egypt with a height of approximately 30 meters and weighing over 300 tons. The obelisk of Hatshepsut
is made of red granite. Queen Hatshepsut is said to have built at least 4 other obelisks as monuments to
her reign as female pharaoh.
A monolithic stone with a quadrangular base, placed upright and ending with a pointed top
- The obelisk is composed of two parts:

1. The body is a long block of a conic trunk section

2. The pyramidon is top of the obelisk symbolized the rays of the sun, it had a pyramid formation and was
plated in gold, a metal which the Egyptians believed was the skin of gods

Egyptians believed that solar rays had a vivifying power.

- The length varied from less than 1 meter to 30 meters

Function and - Religious elements - Obelisks were symbols of the solar god Ra
Use - In the Architecture of temples they were placed in pairs, in front of entrance pylons and
served to magically protect the temple
- They arose, from the Pre-Dynastic Period, and were only fully developed during the New
Historical
Kingdom, all ancient obelisks still in existence were erected during the New Kingdom and
Development
the Ptolemaic Period

The earliest obelisks were small and squat. They originated in the Egyptian Old Kingdom (about 27002160 B.C.) as
symbols of the cult of the sun god Re. At the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, about 2000 B.C., Senusert I erected one
of the first large obelisks. Large obelisks were usually placed on bases, or pedestals, in pairs on both sides of temple
entrances. The pyramidal summits were often covered with gold, copper, or electrum (an alloy of gold and silver)
Obelisks usually also served to commemorate the achievements of a pharaoh's rule. Hieroglyphs inscribed on the four
sides of the obelisk described events and listed the elaborate titles of the pharaoh Obelisks have helped scholars to fix
the order and duration of the pharaohs' reigns.