What the Elgin Marbles are to British-Greek relations, the Axum Obelisk is to Italian-Ethiopian relations. For two millennia the 78' high, 400-ton obelisk stood in the holy city of Axum. During the twilight of World War II, Italy mustard gassed the people of Ethiopia and then conquered Abyssinia. On the personal orders of Benito Mussolini, the obelisk was taken back to Rome and in 1937 installed in city's center, displayed as a spoil of war.

Oddly enough, today it stands next to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters. Odd because, based on a 1947 accord Italy signed with the UN, Italy is under obligation to return all war booty it took from Ethiopia. But there it stands.

Italy finally agreed to return the obelisk in 1998 but then a war broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Believing the obelisk would likely be damaged in the conflict, Italy put the repatriation plan on hold. However, the Ethiopian treasure has not fared so well under Italian care. In May 2002 lightning struck it, blasting off a hunk of it.

The Axum Obelisk or Aksum Obelisk was originally erected sometime around 300 AD in the Kingdom of Aksum, one of hundreds of markers for underground burial chambers. These are generally carved with false doors and windows to look like an actual tower, and the Axum Obelisk is no exception. There are a number of larger 'royal' obelisks, and it is common enough to call King Ezana's Stele the Auxum Obelisk; however, the structure currently in question was one of the few even taller than King Ezana's. In 1935 Italian soldiers found the remains of the Axum Obelisk buried and broken into three pieces; it was believed to have been toppled during the Muslim rebellion (1529 to 1543).

The obelisk spent nearly 70 years as spoils of war in Rome, with the best-laid plans of returning it thwarted by bureaucracy, the Eritrean-Ethiopian War (1998-2000), and inadequate infrastructure (short runways and narrow roads; or to be more exact, really immensely large stones). The obelisk was eventually shipped in three parts during April of 2005 (the first of these was touted as the heaviest single piece of air freight ever), a project which Italy says cost a total of $7.7 million dollars. It was finally re-erected after 500 years in September of 2008, and remains standing to this day.

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