It will be seen how close the measurements of the Aswân modified scheme are to those of the Lateran obelisk. Except for the height and base, I have had to scale the latter off a photograph, so the resemblance may be even closer.
It is also perhaps more than a coincidence that the base of the later project is the same as that of the obelisk fragment before Pylon VII at Karnak, namely 3.15 metres. Legrain, writing in the Annales du Service, vol. V, pp. 11 and 12, remarks, about this Pylon VII obelisk: “L’obélisque d’Hatshopsitou mesure 29 m. 50 cent. de hauteur et 2 m. 40 cent. à la base. Si nous admettons des proportions semblables pour deux monuments contemporains, la base de l’obélisque de Thoutmôsis III au VIIe pylône étant 3 m. 15 cent.–3 m. 10 cent., nous arrivons au chiffre approximatif de 37 m. 77 cent. comme hauteur de l’obélisque de Thoutmôsis III dont nous avons retrouvé les fragments cette année devant la face sud du VIIe pylône. (Footnote): J’ai pris comme base de ce calcul hypothétique (29.50 × 3.15)/2.46 en comptant sur la plus grande largeur de la base, qui, dans l’antiquité, se voyait le mieux.” This year, a fragment of the companion (or perhaps the same) obelisk has been found, which just reaches up to the wording of the Horus name of the king—that is to within a couple of metres of the base of the pyramidion. Although only one edge remains, I found that, by measuring from the centre of the vertical lines flanking the inscription, that the distance to the edge was 1.04 metre, making the width here 2.08 metres, which is almost exactly that of the outline on the Aswân obelisk. Legrain, in estimating the height of the obelisk before Pylon VII, assumes that the taper was the same as that of the obelisks of
atshepsôwet, but, from the table above, it will be seen that the taper of her obelisks is exceptionally small, so his estimate is likely to err on the large side. The outline on the Aswân {10} obelisk may therefore be either for what is now the Lateran obelisk, or those of Pylon VII; there is no evidence to shew for which it was intended.
It is likely that the later scheme was, in its turn, abandoned from fear that the granite was not sound, especially near fissure p. In any case, the reduction of the large obelisk to obtain a smaller one would be a piece of work almost comparable to starting the work over again on a new site, where the rock was likely to be of better quality.
CHAPTER II. THE TRENCH.
(12) The trench surrounding the obelisk, by means of which it was intended to separate it from the surrounding rock, is of most peculiar form, the effect being a series of parallel and equidistant vertical cuts, as if it had been made by a gigantic cheese-scoop. Plate [III], no. 1, shews the structure of the sides and bottom of the trench. Its width averages 75 cent., and its depth about two-thirds that necessary to extract an obelisk of square section. Down the division between each concave “cut” a red line was drawn, it appears, by a plumb-bob with its string dipped in ochre (section [44]). These lines are not continuous, but have been projected down from time to time as the level of the work became lower. The average distance between the vertical red lines is 29.9 cm., there being very little variation between examples. These appear to be feet, and the unit the double-foot. This is discussed in section [18].
It will be noticed in plate [III], no. 1, that distinct horizontal marks are visible along the wall parallel to the bottom of the trench; these shew how uniformly the work was kept at the same level. The aspect of the bottom of the trench is so well shewn as not to need a description. When the whole trench is examined, the divisions across the bottom of the trench seem to run in pairs; it is difficult to define where the resemblance between each pair lies, but it is very clear, and I noticed it almost as soon as I began work. A clearer feature is the division between the depressions at the bottom of the trench separating each into a north and a south half, shewing that the work was done from each side of the trench alternately.
At irregular intervals, and not parallel either to the top of the obelisk or to each other, are red and black lines. They occur all over the walls of both trenches and on the sides of the obelisk itself. On plate [I], no. 6, I give a diagram of the lines on the rock face U V, where they are clearest and most numerous. The only explanation I can give for them is that they are merely lines from which to measure from time to time the depth to which the trench had reached.
A feature of the surrounding trench is that there are no corners—everything is rounded; neither are there any traces of the marks of wedges, which are quite unmistakable (see plate [III], no. 2); besides, it is not practicable to use a wedge unless one has to remove a part from the side of the parent rock. Chisels also leave sure traces; examples of fine pointing are seen in plate [III], no. 2, and rough dressing on plate [III], no. 4 (which was taken in the quarries of Shellâl). There are no traces of chisel-work in the trench at all, and not a trace of any copper implement was found during the clearance of the obelisk. We are therefore forced to the conclusion that the large balls of tough greenish-black stone, found in such profusion round the obelisk and all quarry work at Aswân, must have been the tools employed. {12}