After the pyramids, obelisks are perhaps the most emblematic architectural structures of Ancient Egypt as they have been commonly seen placed in pairs at the entrances to the large pyramidal constructions. They stand out for the complexity with which they are created, since at least all the obelisks found in Egypt are monolithic pillars, that is, they are built from a single piece of rock. In addition, they are loaded with symbology and geometry that make us wonder what they mean and why they were so important to the Egyptians.
Obelisks are monuments built by Egyptian culture to venerate the god of the Sun whom they called Ra, who was an extremely important figure in their worldview and pantheon of gods, since they believed he was the creator of life. Ra was represented by the body of a man and the head of a falcon, and was always accompanied by a solar disk just above his head.
Appearance of the obelisks
The appearance of the Egyptian obelisks is similar in all cases, they are erected from the ground towards the sky in the shape of a quadrangular pillar, that is, they have four equal faces that in turn have a trapezoidal shape; wider at the base than at the top. At the top they have a pyramidal shape called pyramidion or benben as the Egyptians called it. It is believed that the benben were covered with gold and although it is not known exactly why this metal was chosen, archaeologists believe that it may be closely linked to the color of the metal, which is similar to that of the Sun, in addition to the durability of the material.
These ancient pillars, which can measure up to 30 meters high, are actually monoliths, which means that they were carved from a single piece of rock, whether granite, gray basalt or quartzite. It is known that some of them weighed more than 350 tons, which is why archaeologists continue to question the construction practices of the ancient Egyptians, considering that they did not have the technology we have today.
Most of them stand on a prismatic stone base and have carved hieroglyphics on their faces that reveal the name of the pharaoh who ordered the construction, as well as the description of the facts of the historical context of said monarch.
What meaning does the obelisk have?
The word obelisk comes from the Greek word obelískos, a diminutive of obelós which means ‘pointed pole or column’. Today they are known as obelisks, but in Ancient Egypt they were known as tejen and the highest part of these monuments, which was decorated with a pyramidal shape, was also called benben. And it is no mere coincidence that two of the most important structures of Egyptian culture have precisely this shape.
The ancient Egyptians represented their sacred vision of the divine almost always with a pyramidal geometry. Proof of this are the great pyramids of Giza, which are also perfectly aligned with the stars, which in itself gives us an indication of how much this culture observed the sky.
But also, in the Pyramid Texts, a hieroglyph appears that represents the benben of the obelisks. Although sometimes it takes different figures such as a complete or truncated pyramidion, as well as a double or simple staircase, or a promontory with a rounded edge; In all cases it represents an element that rises from the earth towards the sky that serves as a connection between both worlds, the divine and the earthly.
This is why both the benben (the pyramidal tip) and the tejen (the complete obelisk) symbolized the process by which the solar rays, which in their worldview were life-giving, fall on the earth, fertilizing and protecting it. Solar symbols and figures of the pharaoh protected by the god Ra were placed on the pyramidion, while dedications to the gods were inscribed on the faces of the obelisk. In this way the monarch was united to the divinity, which gave him the authority to mediate between the world beyond and the earthly world; between gods and men.
What was the first obelisk in the world?
The oldest preserved Egyptian obelisk is the one erected at the entrance to the Temple of Sesostris I in Heliopolis, dating from between 1961 – 1915 BC. C. It is known that there were initially two obelisks at the entrance to the temple ordered to be built by Sesostris I, one of the most powerful kings of the 12th dynasty, however, today only one of them remains standing.
It was carved on a large red granite rock from Aswan and measures 70 meters high, it is believed to weigh approximately 120 tons. According to temple inscriptions, the monolith was built as a symbol of the jubilee to celebrate the 30-year reign of the pharaoh. On its side you can read the inscription “He did it to give it life forever.”