Obelisks were made of stone, and often built in pairs. Each obelisk was at least 70 feet tall and most were taller. Each was decorated with writing telling of the great achievements of the person each obelisk honored. This information has told us a great deal about ancient Egyptian life.
Egyptians carved stone obelisks with the titles of their kings and dedication to the gods. The flat sides are covered with hieroglyphics. The pointed tip of the obelisks represents the ground on which the sun god stood to create the universe.
The ancient Egyptians believed if you did not have your name written down somewhere, that after your death, you would disappear. Everyone made sure their name was written somewhere, including inside their tombs and graves.
The pharaohs ordered monuments built so they would be remembered. These monuments provided places to write their name down in a very public way. Some monuments were temples. Others were obelisks.
There are two obelisks. One stands at the entrance to the temple at Luxor. The other one was given to the King of France and is now in the Place de la Concorde.
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