Obelisk
Obelisk in front of Luxor Temple, Luxor, Egypt. Ca. 970 BCE. Photo: Diego Delso.

Culture: Egyptian

Obelisks are tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monuments that end with a pyramid on  the top. They were originally erected in pairs at the entrances of ancient Egyptian temples. Itā€™s believed that the first obelisks were built during the 4th dynasty, around 2575ā€“2465 BCE.1

Obelisks were created in honor of the Egyptian sun god Ra, as they represented sunbeams and a connection between the Earth and the heavens, or the divine.

Obelisks symbolize:

  • Sunbeams
  • The sun god Ra
  • Solar worship 
  • The connection between Earth and the heavens, or the divine realm
  • Permanence 
  • Timelessness

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Kristen M. Stanton

Hello. Thanks for visiting UniGuide. My name is Kristen and I started UniGuide as a tribute to nature, animals, and spiritual exploration. I hope you enjoy your experience here!