Cleopatra's Needles: The Lost Obelisks of Egypt

by Bob Brier, Nicholas Reeves (Series Editor)

In the half-century between 1831 and 1881 three massive obelisks left Egypt for new lands. Prior to these journeys, the last large obelisk moved was the Vatican obelisk in 1586 – one of the great engineering achievements of the Renaissance. Roman emperors moved more than a dozen, but left no records of how they did it. The nineteenth-century engineers entrusted with transporting the obelisks across oceans had to invent new methods, and they were far from certain that they would work. As the three obelisks, bound for Paris, London and New York, sailed towards their new homes, the world held its breath. Newspapers reported the obelisks' daily progress, complete with dramatic illustrations of the heroic deeds of the engineers and crews struggling under nearly impossible conditions. When the obelisks finally arrived safely in their new homes, bands played Cleopatra's Needle Waltz and silver obelisk pencils dangled from fashionable ladies' necks.

This turbulent era, caught up in obelisk mania, is recreated by Bob Brier in all its glory. Amid astounding tales of engineering dexterity and naval endurance, the individuals involved in transporting the obelisks and receiving them in their future homes are brought to life through their letters and diaries, newspaper articles and illustrations. Written by a renowned Egyptologist and author, this compelling book will fascinate all those interested in Egypt, its iconic monuments and the history of great endeavour.

Genres: History, Egypt, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Science, Ancient History, Art

248 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2016

About the author

Robert Brier (born December 13, 1943), also known as Mr. Mummy, is an American Egyptologist specializing in paleopathology. A Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University/LIU Post, he has researched and published on mummies and the mummification process and has appeared in many Discovery Civilization documentaries, primarily on ancient Egypt.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Brier earned his bachelor's degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York. From 1966 to 1970, he was on the research staff of the Institute of Parapsychology (formerly the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man) in Durham, North Carolina, where he worked on such books as Parapsychology Today and Test Your ESP. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and began teaching at Long Island University in 1972. He served as chairman of the philosophy department from 1981 to 1996 and has also served as the director of the National Endowment for the Humanities' "Egyptology Today" program. He was appointed Senior Research Fellow at LIU Post in 2004. In addition to his career at Long Island University, Brier has taught ancient Egyptian at The New School and Egyptology at Webb Institute for many years.
Brier has conducted research in mummification practices worldwide. He has investigated well-known mummies such as Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, Vladimir Lenin, Eva Perón (more commonly known as Evita), and the Medici family.

In 1994, Brier and a colleague, Ronald Wade, director of the State Anatomy Board of Maryland, claimed to be the first people in 2,000 years to mummify a human cadaver using ancient Egyptian techniques. This research earned Brier the affectionate nickname "Mr. Mummy" and was also the subject of the National Geographic television special of the same name, which made him a household name. He is also the host of several television programmes for the TLC Network including The Great Egyptians, Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs, and Mummy Detective. His research has been featured in Archaeology Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, 60 Minutes and 20/20.
In 1999, Brier gave a series of 48 specially-prepared lectures entitled "The History of Ancient Egypt" for The Teaching Company. He later did another series of 12 lectures for them, focusing on "Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt". Brier is a recipient of Long Island University's David Newton award for Teaching Excellence.
He leads tours to Egypt for Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural trips.

Reviews

[Alex Radtke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The definitive how-to guide for stealing cultural artifacts that were essentially designed to be unmovable.

Brier covers a huge distance in time, going from a sketch of how the obelisks came to be (why/where they were made) to the modern efforts to bring them to France, England and the US. Each time they were moved was a momentous occasion, and an engineering feat to boot. The main focus is on four stories in modern times - well, Fontana's effort was in the 16th century - each described in great detail. On that point, the chapter on the moving of obelisk at St. Peter's Square was by far the most engaging. Probably because it is fairly distant in the past and the comparable lack of technology makes the achievement all the more notable.

I have to admit that 1/2 way through this I was upset that the focus wasn't more on the ancient world and how they were quarried/erected, but then I read the inside flap description and realized that I had read a misleading review. Can't really begrudge the book for not fulfilling my expectations in that regard. However, I still think that it wouldn't hurt to spend more time exploring what is a magnificent feat of engineering in a time when the best way to carve these from their environment was to bash at the granite with another rock. My largest legitimate complaint would be with disproportionate emphasis on New York obelisk. Not only is the chapter twice as long as the others but a good portion is focused on the diplomacy to actually get Egypt to "gift" the US an obelisk. Again to qualify, it's not as if Brier willed the events to unfold in the manner that they did. Ultimately, I just found the treatment much less interesting.

Overall, the engineering descriptions were clear enough to give an idea of the magnitude of the such an endeavor, and it was great to learn more about the history of the obelisks, as well as those who strove to move the needle.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly good storytellers writing nonfiction are rare, and it’s such a delight to find a new one. This is my first Bob Brier book, and it’s easily my favorite thing I’ve read so far this year.

As someone who is, generally speaking, more interested in Egyptomania and looting than in the history of ancient Egypt, this one was right up my alley.

Though the contextual history of why certain Egyptian obelisks ended up in possession of other nations isn’t unfamiliar to me, but the detail given here is far greater and it’s nice to see their individual histories rounded up in one place.

But what’s truly unusual and special about this book is that Brier gives us richly detailed accounts of *how* the obelisks were transported and erected. Everything—from the financing to the politics to the engineering—about this is fascinating, and Brier’s charmingly erudite narrative style is perfect for the subject.

I highly recommend the audiobook, which is read by one of my favorite narrators and is also a tremendously good format in which to take in all that this excellent book has to offer.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jess | dapper.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered about the many things that are found in ancient Egypt? Cuz I am MIND BLOWN honestly. The things they built? Heck yes ancient Egyptians.

This book places the focus on the obelisk and what happened with them after they were discovered. Who paid to have them moved? What happened with them then? Well it’s in here.

My one beef with this book is that it felt like it was everywhere and nowhere all at once. We’re talking about obelisks and then the Statue of Liberty in the same paragraph. While it made sense…it felt more like a “fun fact” than an actual essential part of the book.

Now I received the audiobook version through NetGalley and this could be where my issues arise from. It does state that we’ll get the blips included in the book itself as well and so the random fun facts could be just that in the book - for example a photo is included with that fun fact as the caption - but that gets lost in audio translation. The narrator is one of favorites for nonfiction. There’s something about his voice that is just perfect to me for books like this.

I did enjoy it, though. I like books like this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first chapter gives us a brief explanation of our understanding of quarrying and erecting obelisks, which is very little. The information provided, though, is quite interesting.

I love Brier’s reflection that while the mechanisms to transport these monuments have become more complicated the closer we get to modern times, in ancient times, these feats were so commonplace that they were not even recorded on tomb walls or documents. Apparently, erecting, taking down, and moving an obelisk was “just another day at the office” for the ancient people of Egypt and Rome. Kind of hilarious when you think about the difficulties modern people have had moving these items (hint, hint - they shouldn’t be moved!).

It should be noted that this book isn’t about admonishing the people who have moved the monuments; it’s about how they were moved and how little we know about ancient engineering. Similar to the Nefertiti bust, these monuments will not be returned. However, you will definitely hold a greater respect for the ancient people and their wisdom in building and erecting marvels that have stood for thousands of years.

The ending came rather abruptly. I was left thinking, “wait… that was the last paragraph?” There were also a few grammatical errors in the book. Maybe the editor had a few days off before the book went into print? So a few formatting issues. However, overall, I enjoyed the read and found it very intriguing with its information clearly laid out and easy to follow. Brier’s explanations coupled with historical photos helped to explain the complicated engineering feats for us non-engineer-minded people.

Of course, the book also confirmed my belief that Rome was the evil empire of the ancient world. Brier writes: "...today Rome has more standing obelisks than any city in the world--more than Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor combined." That fact makes me very sad.

[Charles Francis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cleopatra’s Needles: The Lost Obelisks of Egypt, by Bob Brier, Phd, narrated by Christopher Douyard

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for sending this advance copy book for review consideration. This review expresses my own personal opinion. I have not been asked to post it by the author, their publishing company or anyone connected with the book or author.


Since the days of the pharaohs and the most widely known reign of Cleopatra, the world has been fascinated by the obelisks of ancient Egypt, at times boarding on mania. Roman Popes, emperors, and others have all been enamored with these strange artifacts. Some believe the obelisks represent eternity and immortality.

Dr. Brier is a noted egyptologist and in his work details the infatuation with these objects and how they have been shipped to places like Italy, Britain, France, and the United States. The Romans moved more than a dozen, unheralded feats that to this day still have not be figured out, they left no records. The book moves you through time with examples like Roman Emperor Caligula who moved one from Alexandria, Egypt to Rome to honor Julius Caesar, the Vatican’s movement of one in 1586, and from 1831 to 1881 three were moved to new locations, one being to New York City’s Central Park in 1881. It stands as the oldest outdoor monument in New York City, one that I have ran by numerous times during my runs through Central Park, having no idea of the history until my reading of Dr. Brier’s book.

Through great detail Dr. Brier describes how the Egyptians constructed and transported the obelisks to their destinations, the installation at the designated site, and the significance of them to the Pharaohs. He explains the engineering marvels, creativity, the perils of transporting them, and the sacrifices made by those who have moved them throughout the centuries.

His book is a history walk with plenty of details.

I listened to the audio narrated by Christopher Douvard. Unfortunately, his narration took away from the book. In many of the sections there was a nasally sound as he read and the reading was flat and dull, making the book drag on, feeling longer than it actually was. At times it felt like listening to grass grow, but for the rich history presented by Dr. Brier and my wanting to know more, I would have pulled the plug midway through.

If you want to know more about the obelisks of ancient Egypt, this is your book, just don’t get the audio version.

My rating reflects the narrated version. In ebook or paper form it would be 4 stars.

[Amy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleopatra's needles by Bob Brier was an extremely interesting book. The orator for this book at times was a little dry but did coax me back in to listening.

I learned a ton. I learned how the rocks are actually mined as I didn't know that they had to actually burn the Rock in order for their bronze tools to be able to crack it. I also learned how important these obelisks were to the Egyptians.

I think it was fascinating to hear him talk about these pits where the mining was done and how they could spend months on these obelisks just to have one little crack and have to start all over again. I don't think I can look at those monuments and not remember how much effort and toiling it took for these things to be completed.

This book is written by a PhD and at first I thought I was going to encounter a lot of terms that I may or may not understand, but this was not the case. It was written in layman terms and sometimes over explained. As we don't 100% know how they actually move the obelisks around in Egyptian times, I found it interesting to find out what they went through to move them in more current times.

I highly suggest picking up a copy as I'm fairly certain you'll learn something.

[Петър Тушков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ако човек очаква разказ за Древен Египет, ще остане приятно изненадан. Книгата е много повече от това. За точните начини, по които хората в древността са транспортирали и издигали обелиски, се знае изненадващо малко - в това число за методите, използвани от римляните, за да ги превозят през Средиземно море и издигнат като плячка и украса във вечния Рим. Едва от 16-и век насам, когато ренесансовият човек се осмелява да постави себе си в центъра на вселената, на наследниците на древните строители се налага да преоткрият (на практика да изобретят наново) невъзможното, да извършат поредица от инженерни подвизи и с това да хвърлят поне частична светлина върху постиженията на египтяните отпреди Новата ера - от преместването на Ватиканския обелиск (1586 г.) до площад Свети Петър само на километър-два от мястото, където е бил свидетел на екзекуцията на свети Петър, през одисеите на Парижкия и Лондонския обелиск, до историята на Нюйоркския обелиск (1881 г.), прекосил Атлантическия океан!

[Raymond Bucko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have listened to some of the other works of this author and all of them are interesting and well researched. This work is no exception. In addition to the discussion of Cleopatra’s Needles the author discusses the technology of the Egyptians and the many oblesks which end up in Rome and one in Constantinople. The book is approachable even though it covers many topics. I can't wait until I listen to the other works by the author. He is a trained academic but he writes in easy to understand prose. I personally have visited the Needle in New York and I am glad for more background about the needle. I highly recommend this book and the other works by this author.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book on Egyptian obelisks in Rome, Paris, London, and New York. A fun read for those interested in how a granite monument was initially raised by Thutmosis III in 1450 B.C. to celebrate his conquests in Upper Egypt, was toppled by the Persians in 525 B.C., laid in the sand for 500 years, was raised by Julius Ceasar and moved to Alexandria. Vanderbilt and friends swung by in 1880 and transported "Cleopatra's Needle" to Central Park next to newly open Metropolitan Art Museum. Hey, if London and Paris got obelisks, New York in the Gilded Age wanted one too.

[Julie Pace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I usually read more fiction than non, this was hands down my favorite read of this year. You can never go wrong with Dr. Bob, and he makes Victorian Egyptology as compelling as the cast of a TV drama. It didn't hurt that I was watching his Great Courses lectures on Egyptian history while I read this, which made the whole experience more layered. He makes even the obscure seem compelling and relevant.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, easy to read. Chapters are devoted to the obelisks' ancient origins, obelisk taken to the Vatican, Paris, London, and New York. Each was an engineering marvel and a major cultural event.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. It does take place in the 19th century for the most part. I enjoyed the historiography/object biography aspect. The narration was badly edited maybe? There was a lot of gasping on the audio. But I would recommend this.

[Olga Vannucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving an obelisk
Is not an easy task.

[Susan Tryforos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very interesting information is included in this book about how ancient Egyptian obelisks wound up in Italy, France, England and the US. The engineering solutions to moving these behemoth artifacts are nothing short of ingenious. However, I too, like other reviewers, was annoyed by typos and other mistakes in the writing.

[Steve Gross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything you wanted to know about obelisks!

[Morgan]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Elaad Yair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleopatra's Needles is fascinating book. It starts by providing facts and details about obelisks (e.g. they stand proudly, unattached to anything, only gravity keeps them in their position), how they were made, how the ancient Egyptian erected them and so on. Then Brier tells the story of how they were transferred elsewhere, within Egypt, within the Roman empire and eventually some found their way to European capitals and even NY.

In some parts that describe the more recent journeys, it seems like the author focused too much on gossips/stories he read in the papers that originally reported the the transport, while he was doing the research for the book. As much as it might have been amazing to read it in the 19th century, writing it in a tabloid-like sensational style in a serious book doesn't feel right. Yet, it doesn't spoil the reading about these tremendous human achievements (I leave the debate whether it's morally wrong to transport historical monuments from they original [or second in the case of most obelisks] location aside, the book is not about that).

If you like archaeology or anything Egyptian, this book is well worth reading. And there are plenty of useful photographs that really help to understand the concepts the book is describing.

[Merlot58 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book if you like obelisks and I do. There were many in Rome during my visit there. There is a lot of "we really don't know how they did this thing" in the book and lots of speculation (as with much of archeology). Very niche, but very cool.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, but the spelling and sentence structure errors diminish the fun of reading it.

[Randomother · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched review of the Obelisks for Egypt. A compendium of short histories for those interested in monoliths.