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Secrets of Lost Empires I—Obelisk
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Program Overview
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Ancient structures may generate awe and provide information about
the people who built them, but they leave many questions unanswered:
How were they constructed? What technologies were available to the
builders? What tools did they use?
In this four-part mini series, NOVA brings together experts from
diverse fields to reconstruct how these monuments might have been
built. For each structure, individual teams are challenged to create
a scale model using the materials and scientific knowledge thought
to be available at the time of original construction (although at
times they resort to modern methods). By applying their knowledge of
each culture, their expertise in building techniques, and a process
of trial and error, the teams attempt to reconstruct these ancient
technological wonders.
Obelisk
 Pharaohs who built magnificent temples to preserve their names for
eternity often graced temple gates with pairs of obelisks,
four-sided shafts of granite that taper gently upward until the
sides meet at the top to form a pyramid shape. NOVA's team of
experts attempts to build, transport, and raise a scale model
obelisk using those materials available to ancient Egyptian
engineers: rope, dirt, sticks, and stones.
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