Unfinished Obelisk Aswan Egypt tours, prices, booking, reviews
Unfinished Obelisk Aswan located in the southern end of Aswan town. In fact, the obelisk still remains in the site and attached to the rock on one side. The southern end of Aswan town was an area of ancient granite quarries. It is where the most valuable stone for the building of many of Egypt’s monuments obtained. Most of tour packages in Aswan include the visit of the Unfinished Obelisk Aswan. In fact, it situated in the northern part of the quarries. It indeed is gigantic single piece of granite. The obelisk intended to be an obelisk which attributed to Queen Hatshepsut. In fact, it is like her obelisk in Karnak temple in Luxor. Some fine reliefs depict the transportation methods of an obelisk. You can see these reliefs in Hatshepsut temple.
In ancient times obelisks objects usually blocked out roughly before they left the quarry. It is the same for the other large stones. There are many techniques for the splitting of hard stone away from its surrounding rock. One method is to cut a groove along the line where the stone should detach. And then, drive in wooden wedges which soaked with water before. The force of the swelling wood will act to split the granite. In fact, this method used in Roman times. Another method is to cut a groove with stone tools or a primitive saw which used with an abrasive. And then to heated with charcoal and cool with water. It will let the stone to split. The unfinished obelisk Aswan shows us the primitive soft-metal tools of the ancient Egyptians.
Further details about the Unfinished Obelisk Aswan:
Moreover, it shows an amazing feat of technology. The archaeologists learned much about the techniques of stone-cutting. In fact, it was from examining this abandoned monument and from the tools which left behind. The unfinished obelisk Aswan measures 42 m in length and weighs around 1216 tonnes. It developed a flaw during quarrying and never completed. Furthermore, it left to lie still attached to the rock for the next 3000 years. The Northern Quarry is an fascinating place to visit. It is famous for producing the granite. This granite used in the construction of the burial chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It also used in some of the casing stones in other Pyramids. Every rock face shows the imprint of ancient stone workers. It with many cut-marks or artists sketches still to see.
You will believe that the workmen just put down their tools and gone home for the night. The area of the northern quarry recently excavated and renovated by the SCA. Its mounds of rubble cleared to reveal many previously unknown granite objects. It includes fragments of columns and statues. Archaeologists were able to know how the stone cut, carved and transported. Moreover, they found several ancient tools and artists’ sketches. To the south of the unfinished obelisk Aswan, excavators found a hieroglyphic inscription. It dates back to the year 25 of the reign of Thutmose III. An instruction from the King for the quarrying of two large obelisks to erect in Karnak Temple. They dedicated to Amun-Re. They also uncovered the depressions made from the hewing of seven large obelisks.
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The Obelisks are now in Karnak temple and Luxor temple. Another important discovery was a harbor from where the stone shipped. It is northwards along the Nile. Its walls reveal decorative graffiti of the god Bes, ostriches and fish. The site now landscaped and re-opened. It offers wide wooden walkways and steps between the many different levels of the quarry. It is with a good viewing platform at either end of the unfinished obelisk. The obelisk site has A visitors center and open-air museum. It is to display some of the artifacts along with the inevitable tourist bazaar. Another quarry area to the south of the Unfinished Obelisk Aswan was in use since ancient times. In fact, it is still in use today. The site has many of stone and boulders which partly cut from the surrounding rock.
They still show cut-marks. On a hill in the Southern Quarries, There is an open-air exhibition. The exhibition is of modern granite sculpture. It is with magnificent views over the Nile River towards Aswan High Dam. There are also many rock inscriptions in the quarries. They surround areas and on the river banks around Elephantine. Moreover, there are boulder inscriptions on the river bank below the public gardens. It is behind the Old Cataract Hotel. Another important inscription is nearby. It depicts Akhenaten’s sculptors Men and Bek. In fact, it carved on a rock near the Coptic Cathedral. But it recently inaccessible as it enclosed within a building site.
How to get to the Unfinished Obelisk Aswan:
The Northern Quarry situated near the Fatimid Cemetery. It is at the southern end of Aswan, Egypt. In fact, it reached by taxi or a walk up the hill from the Basma Hotel and the Nubian Museum. Tickets to the Northern Quarry cost 30 Egyptian pound. The Southern Quarry can found by turning right up the hill. It is when leaving Philae Port, instead of taking the left-hand turn towards Aswan town.
