The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle: Part 1

Obelisks were carved at the granite quarry in Aswan, Egypt.

Obelisks were carved at the granite quarry in Aswan, Egypt.

Obelisks were carved at the granite quarry in Aswan, Egypt.

Aswan has the best pink granite in all the world. Huge blocks of it. The granite is used to make monuments and statues, which are brought to all parts of Egypt for people to admire.

Aswan has the best pink granite in all the world. Huge blocks of it. The granite is used to make monuments and statues, which are brought to all parts of Egypt for people to admire.

It must be a very large project that we will be working on. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of workers here. Many of them are paid laborers who work the fields during the growing season, and then come to Aswan to work in the quarry during the remainder of the year....Many others are enslaved people, like us. Years ago, my parents were taken captive during a war in Syria and brought to Egypt....The children of an enslaved person are also enslaved, so I am a slave.

We were introduced to the overseer. His name is Yamu-nedjeh. He looks like a very mean man and he spoke roughly to us. He demands total obedience and promises punishment if we disobey.

We were introduced to the overseer. His name is Yamu-nedjeh. He looks like a very mean man and he spoke roughly to us. He demands total obedience and promises punishment if we disobey.

The pharaoh, Thutmosis III, has tasked us to carve a large obelisk out of the granite.

I accompanied my father and other workers to the quarry. Before we can carve the obelisk, it is important to select the correct piece of granite.

For a large obelisk we must find a section of granite that has no flaws or cracks in it.

But my father noticed a tiny crack in the granite, and he pointed it out. Yamu-nedjeh was angry that his judgment was questioned. He had a worker drill a test hole, and he discovered that Father was right. There was a crack in the granite.

Father found another location that was more suitable for carving. It is on the edge of the quarry. That is good because it is closer to the Nile, which means it will be easier to move the obelisk to a boat when we are finished carving it.

Today is the big day! After almost two years of working, today the giant obelisk is to be freed from the ground from which it has been held since the beginning of time. That also means that very soon Father will be freed from his servitude.

After we raised the obelisk above the quarry surface, pieces of discarded granite were placed underneath it to hold it off the ground.

I was not aware, but while we were carving the obelisk hundreds of other laborers were building a wooden barge at the edge of the Nile.

With great effort, we slid the obelisk onto the barge. I looked at it in wonder and thought, it will be impossible for this barge, as large as it is, to keep the obelisk afloat. It is sure to sink under the tremendous weight....But the barge did not sink.

Finally, our job is finished....We created a beautiful object, and for that we are proud, even if we will not be able to enjoy it. Many innocent men died. Father, fortunately, did not. He will finally be a free man.

I wasn’t just being obnoxious. I really didn’t care. So they carved the obelisk in ancient Egypt. Big deal. They carved lots of stuff in ancient Egypt.

I wasn’t just being obnoxious. I really didn’t care. So they carved the obelisk in ancient Egypt. Big deal. They carved lots of stuff in ancient Egypt.