The Problem of the Obelisks, From a Study of the Unfinished, Obelisk at Aswan (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Reginald Engelbach

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0656663073 ISBN 13: 9780656663071

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Discover how ancient Egypt moved and raised its great obelisks, with clear, practical explanations you can visualize.

This edition analyzes the physical tools, logs, sleds, embankments, and procedures that transformed massive granite into standing monuments, using the Aswan Obelisk as a focal point.

The book blends narrative with model experiments and historical context to show how engineers of the ancient world tackled weight, balance, and precision. It focuses on hands-on processes, from quarry faces to the final erection, while balancing fact with careful inference where evidence is scarce.

• How obelisks were quarried, transported, and oriented on pedestals.
• The roles of sledges, baulks, and funnels in controlled descent and lift.
• Why notches and balance points mattered for a successful erection.
• Historical notes on key architects, instruments, and surviving records.

Ideal for readers of archaeology and the history of engineering, this edition offers a compact, accessible account of what is known about a subject that fascinated travelers and scholars for generations. It is well suited to anyone curious about ancient methods, practical craft, and how massive stone works were achieved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0656663073
• ISBN 13: 9780656663071
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 172