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Egyptian obelisks of Rome
Site, Museums outside Egypt · also called Obelisks of Rome, Lateran obelisk, Flaminio obelisk, Piazza del Popolo obelisk, Pamphilj obelisk, Minerva obelisk, Pulcino della Minerva, Montecitorio obelisk
Rome has more ancient obelisks than any city in Egypt, and most are covered in hieroglyphs: cartouches of Thutmose III, Seti I, Ramesses II, Psamtik II and Apries. A few were made in Roman times with new texts for emperors, and some carry no writing at all.
Emperors shipped obelisks from Egypt as trophies for circuses, temples of Isis and mausoleums. Most fell in the Middle Ages. Popes dug them up from the sixteenth century on, raised them in squares and topped them with crosses. So each one has two stories: the Egyptian king on its shaft and the pope on its base.
Every Egyptian obelisk follows the same plan. A column of signs runs down the centre of each face, often with extra columns added by a later king. Each column starts with the king's Horus name, often 'strong bull', then gives his cartouches and the god he loves.
The Roman-made ones are a different study. They were cut in Egypt or Rome for emperors, with texts composed in Roman times. Their signs can look odd and their grammar is late, yet they are real hieroglyphs written for readers in Rome and Egypt.
What to see and read
Lateran obelisk
The tallest ancient Egyptian obelisk still standing, at San Giovanni in Laterano. It was made at Karnak for Thutmose III, inscribed further by Thutmose IV, and brought to Rome in 357 AD.
Flaminio obelisk in Piazza del Popolo
From Heliopolis, brought by Augustus in 10 BC. The central columns name Seti I and the side columns Ramesses II.
Pamphilj obelisk on Piazza Navona
Atop Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers. Its hieroglyphs were composed for Domitian and write Roman emperors' names in cartouches.
Minerva obelisk
A small obelisk of Apries from Sais, carried by Bernini's elephant in front of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Montecitorio and Pantheon obelisks
The Montecitorio obelisk names Psamtik II and once marked Augustus' great sundial. The one in front of the Pantheon names Ramesses II.
Obelisks with other stories
The Pincio obelisk carries Hadrian's texts for Antinous. The Vatican obelisk in St Peter's Square has no hieroglyphs at all.
Names you can find here
Signs to look for
- Falcon G5ḥr The falcon opens the Horus name at the top of each column on the Egyptian obelisks.
- Bull E1kꜣ The bull follows the falcon in 'strong bull', the first epithet in many royal columns.
- Sun N5rꜥ The sun disc (ra) is in the cartouches of Ramesses II and Seti I on the Flaminio and Pantheon obelisks.
- Three fox skins F31ms Three fox skins (mes) spell the middle of Ramesses' name in his cartouches.
- Sedge M23sw The sedge (su) of the king's title stands before the throne-name cartouches.
Reading the hieroglyphs here
- Top signs are high up: zoom in for a sharp photo.
- Birds face the start of the line.
- Morning and late-afternoon light rakes across the carving and makes worn signs readable.
Point your camera at a wall Hiero Lens boxes the signs and names them, on your phone; nothing is uploaded. On worn stone, trace a sign over the photo.
Questions
How many Egyptian obelisks are in Rome?
Rome has eight obelisks made in pharaonic Egypt and several made in Roman times. Most stand in public squares.
Does the obelisk in St Peter's Square have hieroglyphs?
No. The Vatican obelisk was brought from Egypt under Caligula but carries no hieroglyphs. For royal inscriptions, visit the Lateran or Piazza del Popolo.
Where it is
Open in OpenStreetMap · Written from published sources and not yet checked on site by our team: displays and open tombs change.