Aswan First Cataract — Unfinished Obelisk Quarry Canal
Syene granite quarry canal · Unfinished Obelisk canal
New Kingdom to British (1470 BCE – 1902 CE)·Egyptian New Kingdom with British Aswan regulation·🇪🇬 Aswan Governorate, Aswan east bank, Syene granite quarry canal connecting quarry to Nile First Cataract, Egypt
About
About Aswan First Cataract — Unfinished Obelisk Quarry Canal
Eastern bank quarry canal excavated to float granite blocks (including the 42 m Unfinished Obelisk, 1168 tons, abandoned due to flaw) from Syene (Aswan) quarries to the Nile at the First Cataract, complementing the 1899–1902 Aswan Low Dam 5 km downstream. Nile barrage irrigation twin system. Quarry canal 150 m long with regulating basin and sled ramp carved c.1500–1200 BCE New Kingdom, reused by Romans.
Why it mattersQuarry canal–Low Dam pair shows Aswan hydraulic landscape spans pharaonic quarrying to Victorian masonry
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Obelisk flaw natural fracture vs quarrying crack
- 02Quarry canal vs natural wadi use
Theories
- 01Aswan as imperial granite factory hydraulic twins
- 02Syene–Elephantine border shrine
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- New Kingdom 1470 BCE Thutmose III quarry canal; Low Dam 1899–1902 Sir William Willcocks
- Period
- New Kingdom to British (1470 BCE – 1902 CE)
- Culture
- Egyptian New Kingdom with British Aswan regulation
- Purpose
- Granite procurement and First Cataract hydraulic regulation
- Abandoned
- still traceable canal, dam still operational
- Excavation
- Excavated
1470 BCE
Quarry canal cleared for obelisks
1902
Aswan Low Dam largest masonry dam completed
1971
High Dam supersedes
On the ground
Structures & features
24.0780° N · 32.8910° E · 105 m · 3 mapped features
Unfinished Obelisk Trench
quarry42 m obelisk still attached to bedrock with flaw crack
24.0783° N · 32.8915° EQuarry Slipway Basin
canal150 m canal basin with granite sled ramp to Nile
24.0779° N · 32.8908° EAswan Low Dam Crest View
damLow dam crest 1950 m 180 sluices 5 km N
24.0340° N · 32.8658° E
Gallery