Obelisks of Festival Hall Center Pair

Introduction


This pair of obelisks originally stood between the obelisks of Thutmose I and Thutmose II in the Thutmose II “festival hall.”
Measurements: Neither obelisk exists today, but they probably stood about 30m high, like the other obelisks of Thutmose III.

Phases of Construction

Thutmose III

Thutmose III raised these obelisks to celebrate his jubilee (heb-sed) festival and to honor the god Amun-Ra.

Construction materials: rose granite

About the reconstruction model of Thutmose III

The original location of these obelisks is known from the location of their bases in the “festival hall” of Thutmose II. Their placement was made according to the plan of the temple published by Carlotti (2001: pl. 1).

Since the height of the original obelisks is unconfirmed, they were reconstructed based on the size of the other obelisks of the king at the Amun temple.

Documentation

Carlotti, Jean-François. (2001),L’Akh-menou de Thoutmosis III à Karnak : etude architecturale. Paris: Recherche sur les civilisations

Habachi, Labib and Charles Van Siclen. (1977),The obelisks of Egypt: skyscrapers of the past. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press