Axumite Stelae: The Giant Obelisks That Defied Gravity

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the engineering marvels of the Aksumite stelae—the towering granite obelisks carved from single blocks and erected over 1,700 years ago without modern machinery. Learn how the Aksumites used wooden sledges, ramps, and levers to quarry, transport, and raise the 33-meter Great Stele weighing 520 tons. Discover the funerary purpose of these stelae, the elite burials beneath them, and the mysterious collapse of the Great Stele. The episode also covers the later history of the stelae, including the removal and restoration of the Obelisk of Axum by Italian forces. Specific terms discussed include the Great Stele, King Ezana's Stele, the Obelisk of Axum, the Gudit Stele, granite quarrying, wooden sledge, ramp, lever, elite burial, and the restoration by UNESCO. #AksumiteStelae #GreatStele #ObeliskOfAxum #KingEzanasStele #GuditStele #AksumiteArchitecture #AksumiteEngineering #AncientQuarrying #GraniteObelisks #EliteBurial #UNESCO #Aksum #EastAfrica #AncientHistory #Archaeology #History #FexingoHistory #Axum Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo