Egyptian Objects – Cleopatra’s Needle

Have you ever been walking along the Thames River in London just north of the London Eye and looked over at the west bank and seen an Egyptian Obelisk standing among the trees and wondered what it is, why it is there, and how it got there?  Our class spent some time looking at this as a way to reflect on the thinking of the world of archaeology, and Egyptology in particular, at the time “Cleopatra’s Needle” was brought to England and set up on the riverbank of the Thames in London and how it affects the world it is in today.

The fact that “Cleopatra’s Needle” was not a needle nor was has it anything to do with Cleopatra apparently didn’t matter to the authorities or public in the early 1800’s.  England was actually politically engaged with Mohammad Ali (not the boxer but the Albanian who was the Khedive of Egypt ruling at that time).  Ali knew that England (as well as, France) feared him and used the obelisk of the 3^rd Thutmose as a political gift to be a “needle in the eye” to the British.  (And, by-the-way, the word “needle” in Arabic was not the word for a small sewing needle but the word for the very large knitting needle.  Ali knew what he was saying and what he was doing when he sent it to England.)  However, it wasn’t transported to England until 1877 because the British government wouldn’t sponsor its trip (most likely due to the political intentions of the gift, as well as the great expense in doing so).

When it finally began its voyage, there was a disaster.  The ship that was carrying it, while in the Bay of Biscay, experienced a storm.  Sailors lost their lives when their rescue boat capsized.  The obelisk was abandoned and the ship was presumed to have sunk.  However, it drifted instead and was picked up by the Spanish.  When the English found out about it, the asked for it back.  That led to another big hassle.  Eventually it did arrive in England where the question arose of how to transport it.  A half-year later, it was finally settled upon to just erected it on the Victorian Embankment, where it stands today.  During World War II a bomb landed close to it and shrapnel gouged out sections of the stone near its base.  When I first saw it (in 2004) I was horrified at its dingy condition.  It was most recently cleaned in 2005, and today appears to be in relatively good condition.

The obelisk itself, was originally erected by the 3^rd Thutmose at Heliopolis (the ancient Egyptians called the city, “Iunu”, and it was the cult center of Ra just north of Memphis in the Delta region of the Lower Kingdom).  It is made of red granite and its pair is in New York (also called, “Cleopatra’s Needle”).  Later, the 2^nd Rameses added his own inscription in the lower regions.  At its current location, two bronze sphinx were placed on either side of it to guard it.  However, the sphinx were installed backward so instead of guarding it they appear to be reading it.

We were asked to visit the site on the Embankment and ask people who passed by what the object was to see if anyone knew about it.  Some did, but others didn’t even realize it was there.  Of those who did know what it was, most “knew” that the English had stolen it and thought it should return to Egypt.  No one appeared to have any idea what the inscription said or who the obelisk was actually originally erected by or where.  In other words, its location does nothing for the populace and is simply a curiosity to some and something to ignore by most.

When it was brought over from Egypt in the late 1800’s, there was a huge debate regarding whether an artifact was worth a life.  Since sailors actually died in its transport many felt that it would have been better to just leave it where it was.  Today, many feel (according to national poles) that these ancient objects should return to their countries of origin.

While I don’t necessarily agree that this particular object should return to Egypt, I do feel that its current location is worthless and useless.  I believe it should be better managed and protected and should be put in a location that can properly educate people about it.  I also feel that the name is ridiculous and that it should be called what it is, “The Obelisk of Thutmose.”