1. Obelisk of Axum
• King Ezana.
• Basic facts and
history.
• Controversies.

2. Obelisk of Ezana
• 1700 years old.
• 70 ft. tall
• 160 tons of granite
• False doors &
windows.

3. Obelisk of Axum
• Underground burial
chambers.
• Large- Royal.
• Small- Noble.
• Fell due to structural
collapse, earthquakes,
& Ethiopian Adal War.

4. King Ezana 330-356 A.D.
• Ruled after death of
father.
• Frumentius converted
him to Christianity.
• Grave marker idea
comes into play

5. Obelisk of Axum
• Broke into 5 pieces
during 4th century.
• 1935: Discovered by
Italian soldiers.
• Transported from Axum
to Massawa.
• 5 trips in 2 months

6. Obelisk of Axum
• March 27, 1937: arrived
in Naples by ship- Adua.
• October 28, 1937:
Rome: reassembled &
placed in Porta Capena
Square.
• 15th anniversary of
March on Rome.
• Ugo Monneret de
Villard.

7. Obelisk of Axum
• 1947 UN agreement.
• Prey of war returned in
1967.
• Little action for 50 yrs.
• Technical difficulties to
transport.

8. Obelisk of Axum
• Haile Sellassie grant
Obelisk to Rome.
• Too much to ship back.
• 1972: Colonel Haile
Mariam Mengistu asked
for Obelisk.
• April 1997: positive
answer

9. Obelisk of Axum
• Nov. 2003: taken apart.
• Ship back March 2004.
• Runway too short.
• Roads too dangerous.
• Access through
Massawa impossible.

10. Obelisk of Axum
• Delay: Italy claimed not
enough money for
return.
• Italy tried to get help
from U.S.
• U.S. planes tied up.
• Threated the Italian
govt.

11. Obelisk of Axum
• Runway was updated.
• April 19, 2005: middle
piece.
• April 22, 2005: next
piece.
• April 25, 2005: final
piece.
• Remained in storage
until reconstruction.

12. Obelisk of Axum
• March 2007: foundation
poured.
• June 2008: reassembly
began.
• September 4th, 2008:
unveiled.
• Reconstructed to
guarantee structural
resistance.

13. Obelisk of Axum
• History of King Ezana
• History of Obelisk of
Axum.
• Controversies between
Italy and Ethiopia.