Recently, probably in this year, the iron band was put on the base ornament, probably in order to reinforce it.
Courtesy © 2006 John Anglos, U.K.
Recently, probably in this year, the iron band was put on the base ornament, probably in order to reinforce it. Courtesy © 2006 John Anglos, U.K. |
Cleopatra's Needle
| Location: | Victoria Embankment, London, England |
| Pharaoh: | Tuthmosis III (reigned B.C. 1504-1450) |
| Height: | 20.87 meters / 69 feet |
| Weight: | Estimated 187 tons |
| Stone: | Red granite |
Provenance: Originally, this is one of 9 obelisks at least [2 in Heliopolis, 7 in Karnak], which were erected by Tuthmosis III.
In between around B.C. 23 and 12, the first Roman Emperor Augustus [reigned B.C. 27 - A.D. 14] had carried 2 obelisks from Heliopolis to Alexandria for decorating the front of the Caesarium Temple (Note 1) at Alexandria.
But the one of two obelisks , which remained after the Temple went into ruin, fell in an earthquake in 1303 A.D. (Note 2), and nearly being lost at sea in 19th Century.
This "fallen" obelisk is the one which was transported to London, and its companion was also transported to New York 3 years later in 1880.
Therefore, there is nothing in Alexandria at present.
(Note 1) The Caesarium Temple, also called Sebastium, seems to have been a splendid building for admiring the Roman Emperor, but no detailed records exist. Accoridng to French archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur, the obelisks had been standing at the location where the hotel "Paradise Inn Metropole" is currently. (Source: "Alexandrie Redecouverte" by Jean-Yves Empereur, 1998 Librarie Artheme Fayard)
(Note 2) A famous "Lighthouse of Alexandria" which is one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was heavily damaged by this earthquake.
It has a long history for bringing this obelisk to London, which took nearly 80 years.
The British first began to consider appropriating this obelisk when General Cavan [1763-1836, 7th Earl of Cavan, Richard Ford William Lambart] had an idea to get this in commemoration of the victories of the Battle of Aboukir Bay of August 1, 1798, and the Battle of Aboukir of March 21, 1801 (Note 3).
(Note 3) Aboukir (Abu Qiir) is about 15 km northeast of Alexandria. The Battle of Aboukir Bay (Battle of the Nile) was that the British Fleet led by Admiral Nelson [1758-1805, Lord Horatio Nelson] destroyed French Fleet when Napoléon Bonaparte was absent for Cairo. The Battle of Aboukir was that the British troops won against Franch troops again, but British General Ralph Abercromby [1734-1801] died from wounds.
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Egyptian viceroy, Mohammed Ali approved in 1819 that Egypy would make a gift obelisk to to Britain. In 1831 the approval was renewed, but the British Government declined to fund the expense of transportation it to London, although it welcomed the gesture. On the other hand, France obtained an another obelisk (where was in Luxor), and sucessfully transported it to Paris in 1832. Finally in the 1870s, the soldier-turned-writer General James Alexander took up the cause, and then he did serious efforts for this collection with the support by a millionaire Sir James Erasmus Wilson who offered the private fund voluntarily. After a time-consuming negotiation with the land owner of the obelisk, it was planned that the obelisk is transported over the ocean with a special iron container (cylindrical case) named Cleopatra made by the engineer, John Dixson. At last, Cleopatra which contains the obelisk departed the Port of Alexandria, towed by the mother ship Olga, on September 21st, 1877. Here are some pictures on the journey. click here
The Olga and the Cleopatra which headed to London via Atlantic Ocean passing through the Straits of Gibraltar, came across the storm in the Bay of Biscay (Golfe de Gascogne in Frence), and a gale separated the two ships and six seamen were lost. The Glasgow steam ship Fitzmaurice discovered the drifted Cleopatra, and towed it into the port of El Ferrol, a small town in Northwestern Spain. The ship owner claimed the possession, and required a buy-back of the obelisk which was almost lost at ocean.
On January 15th, 1878, the Cleopatra finally departed the Spanish port, with pulled up by the steam ship Anglia this time, and ended the long travel when arrived at Gravesend, a mouth of the Thames, on January 21st, 1878. It has elapsed 4 months from Egypt and England, and another almost 80 years. Then it went up the Thames and moored near the Houses of Parliament. Eight months later, on September 12th, 1878, the obelisk was raised on the pedestal at the river front of the Thames. The obelisk is supported by the iron ornament because it cannot stand by itself due to the missing the foot of monolith. The pedestal enclosed various memorial objects like copies of contemporary newspapers and a full set of British Empire coins. The obelisk is flanked by bronze . But the pedestal and the Sphinx were a little damaged by the German bombs in 1917, during World War I, and the gouges still can be seen.
Inscriptions: On each side of each pyramidion (top triangle of the obelisk), Tuthmosis III is drawn as a "sphinx" making offerings to the Gods of Heliopolis. On each side of the obelisk are inscribed with hieroglyph of three columins. The central column is carved by Tuthmosis III, and subsidiary columns both sodes are added by Ramses II. It is said the central column relates the reason for the construction of the pair of obelisks.
Nickname: There is no direct relation to Cleopatra (famous Queen Cleopatra VII), although two obelisks in London and New York are dubbed "Cleopatra's Needle". In fact, it's some twenty years after Cleopatra's death that these two obelisks were transported and erected in Alexsandria. The Egyptologist Labib Habachi says "Probably, her name was merely attached to them in a romantic fashon." (Source: "The Obelisk of Egypt" by Labib Habachi, 1977 Charles Scribner's Sons)
In fact, just as there are in Alexandria, Mersa Matruh, and Aswan places called "the bath of Cleopatra", although there is no evidence that the queen ever bathed there, and the Canal connecting between Alexsandria and the River of Nile is called as Cleopatra's Canal. In the case of these obelisks, as the earliest record, the expression of "Cleopatra's Needle" is seen on the etching by a painter Tevie in 16th Century. A Egyptian Guide said, it was becasue the obelisk was trasported to London by Cleopatra. But this would be an inverted story.
How To Go: The nearest stations are Embankment Station (Underground; Circle Line, District Line, Bakerloo Line), and Charing Cross Station (British Rail). It's easy to find the obelisk. Cross the road, then you can closely look it. You will feel a deep emotion when you consider that it was carried out from far away Egypt.
Present State: I think this valuable obelisk should be erected at more remarkable place, for example at Trafalgar Square or Piccadilly Circus. Current location is not a lonesome place as it's busy with many automobiles and sightseeing boats. However, it's not a good place than Place de la Concorde (the Concord Plaza) in Paris.
Reference: You can see an another interesting site about the Cleopatra's Needle at http://www.akhet.co.uk/cleo.htm by Mr. Iain Hawkins.
Back to the list for all the obelisks.
The series of these pages were produced by
Shoji Okamoto (Mr.)
Japan
E-mail: Sokamoto31@aol.com