Ancient Egyptian obelisks that once lay along the banks of the Nile are now on display in cities like New York, London, Paris, and Rome, and this publication describes how that came to be the case.

“The True Story of the Obelisk” delves into the engineering techniques that were used to transport these massive “Cleopatra’s needles” and describes the weeks, months, and even years required to do so based on the prevailing level of technology. It provides a little-known behind-the-scenes glimpse into a particular aspect of history and is both a fascinating read and a potential source of inspiration for storytellers of all sorts.

This edition of “The True Story of the Obelisk” includes all of the black-and-white images that appeared in the original 1881 publication — including ones depicting the special means used to transport obelisks — along with a half-dozen specially chosen to further illustrate and enhance its descriptive text.