According to the Egyptian Tours Portal -
The Unfinished Obelisk
allows modern visitors to explore the quarry and witness the advanced stone-working techniques used by the ancient Egyptians. The obelisk reveals evidence of the tools and methods employed to carve such a massive structure.

Workers used a technique involving dolerite balls, which are small, hard stones that are more durable than granite. These dolerite balls were likely used to chip away at the granite’s surface slowly, leaving characteristic marks that are still visible on the rock. The painstaking process of chiseling the rock away required both skill and endurance, as workers carved along the desired shape of the obelisk using repeated, controlled strikes.
The Egyptians also employed ingenious methods to separate the obelisk from the bedrock. After carving it almost entirely out of the granite bed, workers would create small cavities along the line where they wanted the rock to split. They filled these cavities with dry wooden wedges, which were then soaked with water. The wood would expand as it absorbed the water, generating enough pressure to fracture the rock along the line of the cavities. This natural technique allowed the stone to detach cleanly from its base, a testament to the Egyptians’ resourcefulness and understanding of materials.

***YOUR QUIZ ANSWER......The Washington Monument is the tallest obelisk in the world located in Washington, D.C. standing 555 feet tall. This stone structure was completed in 1884 to honor George Washington, the first president of the United States.
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