PLINY, Natural History, book XVI, chap. 76, and book XXXVI, chap. 14 and 15, transport of an obelisk to the Vaticanian Circus in Roman times, with details of an immense ship; book XXXVI, chap. 14, water transport of an obelisk under Augustus and the transport of an obelisk by canal under Ptolemy Philadelphus (see section [54]); erection of an obelisk under king ‘Rhamsesis’ (section [35]).
(56) WILKINSON (Sir G.), Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians.—Although somewhat out of date, this is still the standard work on the subject, especially as regards arts and crafts. The portions directly concerning the subjects under discussion are as follows:
- Vol. I, p. 276; boats.
- Vol. II, pp. 211, 212; boats.
- Vol. II, pp. 254, 255; probability of tempering copper.
- Vol. II, pp. 300–312; quarrying, stone working and the transport of large blocks.
WILSON (Erasmus), Cleopatra’s Needle and Egyptian Obelisks.—The method of lowering and raising the London Obelisk was almost exactly the same as that of the New York Obelisk. The water transport, however, was effected by enclosing the obelisk in an iron shell in which it was towed to England.
INDEX.
- Abandoning obelisk, reason of, 6, 10.
- Alaqi, Wady, 12, 27.
- Amasis II, transport under, 30.
- Amenem
- êt III, expedition, 29.
- Anastasi papyrus, 30, 35.
- Balls of dolerite (see ‘pounders’).
- Basic nuclei at Aswân, 12.
- Bed of removed obelisk, 17, 20.
- Bending stress, 42, 43.
- Block and tackle, 38.
- Boat, loading obelisk on, 33.
- Boats, 32, 33.
- Boning rods, 7.
- Burning, to break up granite, 4, 5.
- Calculations, ancient, 30, 35, 43.
- Canal, suggestion by Pliny, 33, 49.
- Capstan, 38.
- Centre lines, 8.
- Centre of gravity, 42.
- Chisel marks, 5, 11.
- Chisels,
- — copper, 24–27.
- — stone, 26.
- Cleopatra’s needle (see London obelisk).
- Colossi, 23, 35.
- Compartments in brick ramp, 35.
- Constantinople obelisk, 3, 43.
- Copper chisels, 24–27.
- — micro-examination of, 52.
- — tempering of, 27.
- Cost of excavation, 2.
- Cracks,
- — ancient examination of, 6.
- — in obelisk, 6–8, 10.
- Crowbars, 4 (note 2).
- Cubit,
- — alleged lapidary, 19.
- — common, 19.
- — obelisk, 20.
- — royal Egyptian, 19, 20.
- Cutting granite, 25–27.
- Date of obelisk, 3.
- Derricks, 38, 53.
- Detaching obelisk from bed, 23–25.
- D
- ut
- otpe, statue of, 30, 38.
- Dimensions of obelisks, 9.
- Dolerite, 12, 13, 26.
- Double-foot, 11, 7.
- Embankment for erecting obelisks, 35, 37.
- Emery, 5, 27.
- Entasis, absence of, 7.
- Erection of obelisks, 35–42, 50, 51, 52.
- — by direct raising, 36, 51.
- — by embankment, 37.
- — by embankment and funnel, 38–42.
- — New York, 52.
- — Paris, 53.
- — Seringapatam, 36.
- — under “Rhamsesis”, 36.
- — Vatican, 51.
- Expeditions for stone, 29, 30.
- — Amenem
- êt III, 29.
- — Menthu
- otpe IV, 29.
- — Ramesses IV, 29.
- Extraction of obelisk from quarry, 23–27.