Aksumite Empire Raises Towering Stone Obelisks

The Kingdom of Aksum in northern Ethiopia raises monolithic granite obelisks (stelae) up to 33 meters tall, carved to resemble multistory buildings. The engineering required to quarry, transport, and erect these massive structures rivals that of ancient Egypt. Aksum's obelisks mark royal tombs and signal an African civilization of extraordinary sophistication at the crossroads of Red Sea trade routes.