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How Big Were They How Big Were They? (180K)

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How Big Were They?
by Dennis Gaffney

In 1550 B.C., more than 1,200 years after the Great Pyramids were finished, ancient Egyptian pharaohs were building magnificent temples adorned with huge monuments that pointed to the sky.

Called obelisks, these massive, pointed shafts of polished granite were often capped with gold. Their size undoubtedly made them extremely difficult to move and raise. But exactly how much did these obelisks weigh? In this NOVA game, you can find out by comparing the weight of the largest ancient obelisk to a herd of elephants.



How Big Were They? | Cutting Granite with Sand | NOVA Raises an Obelisk
Lever an Obelisk | Explore Ancient Egypt | Mysteries of the Nile | Resources | Transcript

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