Unfinished obelisk in Aswan, Egypt. 1500 BC

It is the largest known ancient obelisk. It is nearly one third larger than any ancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. If finished it would have measured around 42 m (approximately 137 feet) and would have weighed nearly 1,200 tons. The obelisk’s creators began to carve it directly out of bedrock, but cracks appeared in the granite and the project was abandoned.

The bottom side of the obelisk is still attached to the bedrock. 
The unfinished obelisk offers unusual insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques, with marks from workers’ tools still clearly visible as well as ocher-colored lines marking where they were working.