One of the four bronze spheres of the obelisk of “Piazza Mazzini”. As you can easily see from the cracks and the erosion, the main problem with this stele is that it was made of friable sandstone.
Many ancient obelisks are still around in quite good shape after thousands of years, but they were usually carved from a single block of red granite, a much harder and durable stone.
This could reinforce the speculation that it was built with recycled stones from the other steles.(1911 postcard digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)
See also: The Two Towers - Fonte Guglia?
Search labels: postcard
Wonderful detail. Thank you for teaching me about this metal. Please have a good Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThese are great. Love the old postcard too.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! My first to see/read about it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday! :)
From the thumbnail I thought it might be yesterday's "super moon." :)
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to see such detail of the stone and to consider what it has gone through.
The second picture is amazing. Kind of scarey.
great details :)
ReplyDeleteIt does look like the stone piece is about to fall apart... But the bronze spheres are sturdy as ever!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
Interesting post! I've never seen a monumnet put on bronze spheres!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to see the old post card with current pictures. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteGreat VP. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFascinating info and I like the postcard too.
ReplyDeleteYup I think the bronze sphere are designed forever VP not so much the sandstone obelisk! Loooove the old postcard, I always find scenes from hundreds of years ago so fascinating.
ReplyDelete