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Encyclopedia > Axum obelisk

The Obelisk of Axum is a 1700-year-old, 24-metre (78-foot) tall granite obelisk, weighing over 100 tonnes, carved in or around the 4th century AD by the Axumite Kingdom, an ancient Ethiopian culture. It was looted from the town of Axum (in modern-day Ethiopia) by the Italian army in 1937, during Mussolini's regime, and taken to Rome to stand in front of the Ministry for Italian Africa (later the headquarters of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization). For the obelisk punctuation mark, see dagger (typography). ... (3rd century - 4th century - 5th century _ other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... The Axumite Kingdom, also known as the Aksum Kingdom, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from circa the 5th century BC to become an important trading nation by the 1st century AD. It converted to Christianity in 325 or 328 (various sources). ... The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ityopiya, Amharic ኢትዮጵያ) is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. ... Axum, also Aksum, is a city in northern Ethiopia, located at the base of the Adoua mountains. ... The Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin Roma) is the capital city of Italy, and of its Lazio region. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to eliminate hunger. ...


After years of pressure, the Italian government agreed, in April 1997 to return it; the first steps in dismantling the obelisk and shipping it home were taken in November 2003, with the intent to ship the obelisk back to Ethiopia in March 2004. However, the repatriation project encountered a series of obstacles: the runway at Axum airport was considered too short for a cargo plane carrying even one of the thirds into which the obelisk had been cut; the roads and bridges between Addis Ababa and Axum were thought to be not up to the task of road transport; and access through the nearby Eritrean port of Massawa – which was how the obelisk originally left Africa – was impossible due to the strained state of relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The runway at Axum airport was then upgraded especially to facilitate the return of the obelisk, the heaviest object to ever be transported by air. The dismantled obelisk remained sitting in a warehouse near Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport, until Tuesday, 19 April 2005 when the middle piece was repatriated by use of Antonov An-124, amidst much local celebration. The second piece was returned on Friday, 22 April 2005, with the final piece returned on Monday, 25 April 2005. The obelisk is expected to be re-assembled and re-erected in September 2005. 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for November, 2003. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths • 08 Abu Abbas • 20 Queen Juliana • 28 Peter Ustinov • 30 Alistair Cooke More March 2004 deaths Ongoing events EU Enlargement Exploration of Mars: Rovers Haiti Rebellion Israeli-Palestinian conflict Occupation of Iraq Same-sex marriage in... Addis Ababa (Amharic new flower) is the capital of Ethiopia. ... National motto: None Official languages Tigrigna, Arabic and English Capital Asmara President Isaias Afewerki Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 96th 121,320 km² Negligible Population  - Total (2002)  - Density Ranked 118th 4,298,269 37/km² Independence  - Limited  - Fully From Ethiopia  May 29, 1991  May 24, 1993 Currency Nakfa Time zone UTC... Massawa is both an island in the Red Sea, and a major city of Eritrea. ... Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport, also known as Fiumicino International Airport, is one of Italys chief airports, located in Fiumicino and serving Rome. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... Russian An-124 in Volga-Dnepr service. ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ...


Several other similar obelisks exist in Ethiopia. The obelisks have a rectangular base with a false door carved on one side. Elements like small windows and disk patterns decorate the shaft up to the top. The obelisk ends in a semicircular top part, which used to be enclosed by metal frames. The structure may symbolize a tower leading to heaven. For the obelisk punctuation mark, see dagger (typography). ... In geometry, a rectangle is a defined as a quadrilateral polygon in which all four angles are right angles. ...


The Obelisk of Axum has two false doors and decorations on all sides.


See also

The Axumite Kingdom, also known as the Aksum Kingdom, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from circa the 5th century BC to become an important trading nation by the 1st century AD. It converted to Christianity in 325 or 328 (various sources). ...

External links

  • Obelisk arrives back in Ethiopia (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4458105.stm)
  • The Obelisk of Axum (http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Arc/5319/roma-co3.htm) (including pictures)
  • The Axum Obelisk (http://www.ethioembassy.org.uk/fact%20file/a-z/Looted%20Treasure/The%20Axum%20Obelisk.htm) (Ethiopian Embassy in the UK)

  Results from FactBites:
 
BBC NEWS | Africa | Obelisk arrives back in Ethiopia (0 words)
The Axum obelisk is regarded as one of Ethiopia's national religious treasures.
The ornately decorated 24-metre (78ft) obelisk is regarded as an outstanding example of architecture from the ancient city of Axum, itself seen as one of the four great kingdoms of the ancient world.
The obelisk was wrapped in steel bars to stabilise it in case of turbulence during the six-hour flight, Lattanzi director Simone Pietero told AP.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Axum (1063 words)
Axum is the capital of the Abyssinian province of Tigré, and nestles in a kloof, or valley, beneath a lofty peak of the Adoua mountains, at 7,545 feet above the level of the sea.
Axum are the above mentioned Etchigeh (Etchagué), or principal bishop, always a native; the Nebrid, a kind of archdeacon or head of the priesthood and rector of the cathedral; the Lij Kaneat, or judge in ecclesiastical matters, together with monks and priests of various grades.
Axum a bilingual inscription in Greek and Gheez (the
  More results at FactBites »


 

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