Explore the The obelisk of this artwork, Elephant and Obelisk.
The red granite obelisk was discovered in 1665 during excavations near the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It had probably been brought to Rome in the first century AD for the temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis that was located there. The obelisk was originally erected by Pharaoh Apries of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt, about 580 BC, in his capital Sais.
The obelisk is 5.47 meters tall and is the smallest of the 13 ancient obelisks present in Rome nowadays. Together with pedestal and elephant, the statue stands 12.69 meters tall.
The obelisk is considered to be one of a pair; the other is in Urbino.
Santa Maria sopra Minerva 13 ancient obelisks Sais Rome Urbino Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt obelisk Isis Apries