Tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top
For other uses, see Obelisk (disambiguation). For other monumental, upright, inscribed and sculpted stones, see Stele.
One of the two Luxor Obelisks, on the Place de la Concorde in Paris; a red granite monolithic column, 23 metres (75 feet) high, including the base, which weighs over 250 metric tons (280 short tons).
An obelisk (/ˈɒbəlɪsk/; from Ancient Greek: ὀβελίσκοςobeliskos;[1][2] diminutive of ὀβελόςobelos, "spit, nail, pointed pillar"[3]) is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top.[4] Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called tekhenu, the Greeks used the Greek term obeliskos to describe them, and this word passed into Latin and ultimately English.[5] Though William Thomas used the term correctly in his Historie of Italie of 1549, by the late sixteenth century (after reduced contact with Italy following the excommunication of Queen Elizabeth), Shakespeare failed to distinguish between pyramids and obelisks in his plays and sonnets.[6] Ancient obelisks are monolithic and consist of a single stone; most modern obelisks are made of several stones.[7]
^ὀβελίσκος. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
^Random House (2005). Random House Webster's college dictionary. Random House Reference, New York. p. 847. ISBN 9780375426001. 1.n. a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone, usu. monolithic and having a pyramidal apex.
^Baker, Rosalie F.; Baker, Charles (2001). Ancient Egyptians: People of the pyramids. Oxford University Press. p. 69. ISBN 978-0195122213. Retrieved 10 March 2014. Tekhenu egyptian
^Edward Chaney,' "Thy pyramyds buylt up with newer might":Shakespeare and the Cultural Memory of Ancient Egypt' Aegyptiaca. Journal of the History of Reception of Ancient Egypt (5), 263–344 [1]
^"Befreiungskriege (Gertraudenfriedhof) | Halle im Bild". www.halle-im-bild.de. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
An obelisk (/ˈɒbəlɪsk/; from Ancient Greek: ὀβελίσκος obeliskos; diminutive of ὀβελός obelos, "spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow...
076889°N 32.895450°E / 24.076889; 32.895450 The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk [citation needed] and is located in the northern region...
Obelisks had a prominent role in the architecture and religion of ancient Egypt. This list contains all known remaining ancient Egyptian obelisks. The...
The Obelisk of Theodosius (Greek: Οβελίσκος του Θεοδόσιου Α΄, Turkish: Dikilitaş) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479–1425 BC)...
Abishemu obelisk or the Abichemou obelisk is a 1.25 meter limestone obelisk dedicated to the Phoenician king Abishemu I of Byblos. The obelisk is decorated...
harbours thirteen ancient obelisks, the most in the world. There are eight ancient Egyptian and five ancient Roman obelisks in Rome, together with a number...
The Vatican Obelisk is an Egyptian obelisk, one of the thirteen ancient obelisks of Rome, located in St. Peter's Square, in Vatican City. It is the only...
The Boyne Obelisk, also known as King William's Obelisk, was an obelisk located in Oldbridge, near Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. The monument was erected...
The Luxor Obelisks (French: Obélisques de Louxor) are a pair of ancient Egyptian obelisks, over 3,000 years old, carved to stand either side of the portal...
An Obelisk is the sixth studio album by Titus Andronicus, released on June 21, 2019, through Merge Records. The album was produced by Bob Mould and recorded...
Landscape with Obelisk is a painting by Dutch artist Govert Flinck, painted in 1638. The oil-on-wood painting measures 54.5 by 71 centimetres (21.5 in...
Egypt to transport obelisks from the quarry to their destination. Fifteen centuries later, the Romans used ships to transport obelisks across the Mediterranean...
Elephant and Obelisk is a statue of an elephant carrying an obelisk, designed by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was unveiled in 1667 in the...
Lateran Obelisk or Tekhen Waty in ancient Egyptian is the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world, and it is also the tallest obelisk in Italy...
The Obelisk of Montecitorio (Italian: Obelisco di Montecitorio), also known as Solare, is an ancient Egyptian, red granite obelisk of Psamtik II (595–589...
The Pantheon obelisk or Obelisco Macuteo is an Egyptian obelisk in Rome in Piazza della Rotonda in front of the Pantheon on a fountain. It is one of the...
Obelisk Beach (part of Obelisk Bay) is a nude beach in Mosman, New South Wales, Australia. The beach is on the southern side of Middle Head in Sydney Harbour...
The Obelisk Gate is a 2016 science fantasy novel by N. K. Jemisin and the second volume in the Broken Earth series—following The Fifth Season, and preceding...
The Caesarea obelisk is a red granite Obelisk 12 metres high (10.5 + 1.4 m), which was erected in the hippodrome of Herod the Great's new-built Roman city...
Hippodrome in 2005, with the Walled Obelisk in the foreground and the Obelisk of Thutmose III on the right The base of the Obelisk of Thutmose III showing Emperor...
The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III is a black limestone Neo-Assyrian sculpture with many scenes in bas-relief and inscriptions. It comes from Nimrud...
The Walled Obelisk or Masonry Obelisk (Turkish: Örme Dikilitaş) is a Roman monument in the form of an obelisk in the former Hippodrome of Constantinople...
Sud Obelisk is a public artwork in Douala, Cameroon, created by Faouzi Laatiris. The work is an engraved obelisk. The artwork is an obelisk, which appears...
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