The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that Egyptian archaeologists, restorers, and engineers of the Supreme Council of Antiquities succeeded in restoring and re-erecting the obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut near the holy lake in the Karnak Temple.
Mostafa Waziri — Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities — explained that the process of erecting the obelisk came within the framework of the restoration and development work of archaeological sites in Luxor.
He explained that the studies conducted on the obelisk proved that its position in its previous location might have negatively affected its safety over time, and so it had to be restored and re-installed.
Waziri also confirmed that the process of restoring and erecting the obelisk took place after the approval of the Permanent Committee of Egyptian Antiquities and in cooperation with the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces in using the necessary equipment to raise and re-erect the obelisk according to the latest scientific methods.
The obelisk that is carved from pink granite is about 11 metres high and weighs about 90 tonnes. It is decorated with inscriptions depicting Queen Hatshepsut and her relationship with the ancient Egypt god Amun. It also has an inscription of the scenes and names of the god.
Most notably, this obelisk had fallen in ancient times, perhaps due to a devastating earthquake that swept the country. Its remains were left on top of the rubble accumulated above the Wadget Hall, which was set up by King Thutmose I — the father of Queen Hatshepsut — until the French archaeologist Georges Legran at the beginning of the 20th century cleared the top of the hall during his excavation work and left the obelisk lying prone near the sacred lake.
