CAIRO: Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquties, has threatened to take back the Egyptian obelisk currently residing in New York City, said American and Egyptian news on Saturday. Hawass, charged with protecting his country's ancient monuments, has threatened to take back the iconic obelisk from Central Park unless the City of New York takes steps to restore it, said a report from Reuters. In a letter this week to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Hawass said the ancient obelisk “has been severely weathered over the past century with no effort made to conserve it, and I have a duty to protect all Egyptian monuments whether they are inside or outside of Egypt” “If the Central Park Conservancy and the City of New York cannot properly care for this obelisk, I will take the necessary steps to bring this precious artifact home and save it from ruin,” Hawass wrote. The obelisk, which commemorates King Thutmose III, has stood behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1881. At 71 feet (21.6 meters) tall, it is known as “Cleopatra's Needle” and is one of a pair. The other is in London .The obelisk dates back roughly 3,500 years. In 1869, Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, have the obelisk to the United States to commemorate the opening of the Suez Canal. It took another decade for the gift to reach Central Park. The gift was an attempt to cultivate trade relations between the two countries, according to the Central Park Conservancy. “I am glad that this monument has become such an integral part of New York City, but I am dismayed at the lack of care and attention that it has been given,” Hawass stated in the letter. “Recent photographs that I have received show the severe damage that has been done to the obelisk, particularly to the hieroglyphic text, which in places has been completely worn away.” Hawass finished his letter, which is posted on his blog, by writing: “I strongly urge you to focus your efforts on saving this obelisk and preserving it for future generations. I am confident that you can find the resources in New York City to conserve this monument properly and pay this treasure the respect that it deserves. I eagerly await your prompt reply.” A statement from Jonathan Kuhn, director of Art and Antiquities for the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, states: “We have been working in recent years with the Metropolitan Museum and the Central Park Conservancy to further analyze the condition of the obelisk and monitor its condition. There is no evidence at this point of any significant ongoing erosion.” BM
