The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) -in cooperation with a specialized company - conducted an experiment to start the transferring one of the three parts of an obelisk of King Ramses II.
The obelisk was fetched from San Hajar (Tanis) in the Sharkia Governorate and located in the museum yard, ahead of regrouping and setting it up in the permanent place of display in the outer yard of the GEM.
Maj. Gen. Atef Moftah, general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum project and the surrounding area, denied the rumors about the fall and collapse of the obelisk, as it was simply hasn't been erected yet in the place designated for it.
He explained that what was done was only an experiment, saying that the experts tried to move one of the three parts of the obelisk, but due to the cracks and hair pores in it due to the length of time, small parts of the obelisk flicked.
He confirmed that all work is done in an organized scientific manner to preserve this artifact.
Maj. Gen. Moftah emphasized that there is no room for error or accident in the restoration and transfer of this part of the obelisk or anything else.
He affirmed that only specialists in this field perform this task, and experienced companies are also hired to transport huge artifacts that need special equipment, under full supervision of the Grand Egyptian Museum work team.
On the other hand, Maj. Gen. Moftah indicated that engineering and archaeological studies on the obelisk have indicated that it was brought from the San Al-Hajar archaeological area and it was pided into three parts; the three pieces were received in an official record.
Accurate scientific and archaeological studies were done on the obelisk to know the condition of its preservation to understand all the surrounding conditions, before starting the restoration, assembly and erection works.
He added that Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University carried out an integrated engineering study on the obelisk body, in addition to doing accurate research on the method of erecting it, while choosing the optimal method for fixation and consolidation, and to locate the anchors for connecting its parts.
The parts were imported from abroad specifically for this purpose to become a tourist attraction for the museum in the future, and to remain thousands of years the same as before.
The obelisk will be assembled and erected soon, after all the necessary geological, archaeological and engineering research and studies are fully verified as its restoration has been completed for the three parts of the obelisk.
Contributed by Ahmed Moamar
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