Abgig obelisk
The restored Abgig obelisk, as it currently stands near the entrance of Faiyum | |
Interactive map of Abgig obelisk | |
| Location | Faiyum, Faiyum Governorate, Egypt |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°18′55″N 30°51′09.3″E / 29.31528°N 30.852583°E |
| Type | Obelisk |
| Material | Granite |
| Length | 3.6 meters |
| Height | 12.9 meters |
| Completion date | c. 1950 BC |
The Abgig obelisk (also known as the Begig obelisk and the Faiyum obelisk) is an ancient stone monument erected by the Egyptian king Senusret I in the 20th century BC near what is now Faiyum. Made of red granite, it is likely that the obelisk once stood 12.9 metres (42.3 ft) high with a base of four limestone slabs. While the structure was still upright in the 17th century, by the early 19th, it had been toppled and split in two.
The obverse side of the obelisk features five detailed registers, each of which depicts two instances of Senusret I facing various Egyptian gods; the obverse side once also featured a now-lost hieroglyphic inscription. While the Egyptian government restored the obelisk in 1972 and placed it near the entrance of modern-day Faiyum, centuries of neglect and exposure have badly eroded the monument.