As the sand was removed from two doors at each side of the pit, slowly and painfully by human diggers and carriers of the sand, the base of the obelisk slowly lowered into a turning groove, to a 75 degree angle, where it could be then pulled by ropes into an upright position.

Ancient Egyptian obelisks stay standing primarily due to gravity, precision engineering, and a massive monolithic base. Unlike modern towers held together by steel or mortar, a traditional obelisk is a single piece of stone (usually granite) that tapers toward the top to lower its center of gravity. The bottom of the shaft is perfectly leveled and sits upon a massive, flat-topped pedestal. The sheer weight—often hundreds of tons—creates a high amount of friction and downward force that prevents the stone from tipping. During erection, the base was carefully guided into a "turning groove" to ensure it landed exactly in the center of the pedestal. In modern times, obelisks like the Washington Monument use an internal masonry structure and deeper foundations, but the ancient Egyptian originals rely on the perfect verticality of their cut and the incredible density of the stone to remain upright for millennia.