Why is the black obelisk significant?

Black Obelisk, Assyrian monument of King Shalmaneser III (reigned 858–824 bc). The most complete Assyrian obelisk yet discovered, it is decorated with cuneiform inscriptions and reliefs recording military campaigns and other triumphs, including payment of tribute by King Jehu of Israel (reigned 842–815).



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The first obelisks were built by ancient Egyptians. They were carved from stone and placed in pairs at the entrance of temples as sacred objects that symbolized the sun god, Ra. It's believed that the shape symbolized a single sun ray.

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During the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, the French attempted to steal the two obelisks and take them back to Paris. The campaign ended before they were successful, but the French did not give up then. A mere 30 years later, the obelisks were “gifted” to the French by the Ottoman monarch Muhammed Ali Pasha.

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Over time, many obelisks lost their original meanings, and many collapsed and were buried by rising ground levels. Centuries later, a number of popes would resurrect these structures, changing their locations, and giving them yet another set of interpretations.

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Obelisks, or tekhenu to ancient Egyptians, first appeared in Old Kingdom Egypt (2649-2150 BCE) in around 2300 BCE. These structures, characterized by a four-sided square base that tapered into an isosceles pyramidion at the top, initially symbolized rebirth, and were used as funerary monuments.

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In 1830 the Sultan and Viceroy of Egypt Mehemet Ali decided to offer the two obelisks standing in front of the Luxor Temple (Thebes, Egypt) to King Charles X of France. It was a gesture of friendship and gratitude for the deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs by Champollion.

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  • Goshen Obelisk, Heliopolis, Egypt. ...
  • Philae Obelisk, Kingston Lacy, Dorset, England. ...
  • Cleopatra's Needle, Alexandria, Egypt.


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Only five obelisks still stand at the ruins of Ancient Egyptian temples. The largest known obelisk, the unfinished obelisk, was never erected and was discovered in its original quarry.

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While the honor of the world's tallest obelisk belongs to the Washington Monument (standing 555 feet, or 169 meters, tall), Long believes the most famous obelisk on the planet is likely the Vatican Obelisk at the center of Rome's St. Peter's Square.

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Story: The so-called Lateran obelisk is the largest standing obelisk in the world. Its inscriptions state that while it was begun during the reign of Tuthmosis III, it lay in the craftsmen's workshops for 35 years and was finally erected by his grandson Tuthmosis IV.

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