An obelisk is a monumental column carved from a single block of stone, and in the case of Ancient Egyptians, they were created to explain how the gods came into being and how pharaohs came into power.

There are currently a number of obelisks dating back to different times in Ancient Egyptian history that we know of today, many of which are located around the world, including in France, Turkey, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

However, the most famous of obelisks that date back to that era remain in Egypt's Luxor. Specifically, at the Karnak Temple, which is now home to the obelisk of the Pharaoh Tuthmosis I and the obelisk of the Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut.

Luckily for our readers, vintage photos of some of these obelisks have recently resurfaced on the Internet, making ancient times more mysterious and alluring than ever before.

1. Obelisk of the Pharaoh Sesostris I, Heliopolis, 1870s

2. The first Cleopatra's Needle (now in New York's Central Park), Alexandria, 1860s

3. The standing obelisks of Tuthmosis I and Hatshepsut, and the remains of the fourth pylon, 1890s

4. Moving the first Cleopatra Needle to New York, 1800s

5. Obelisk of Pharaoh Ramses II at the Temple of Luxor, 1860s

6. Obelisk of Pharaoh Tutmoses III, Istanbul, unknown date

7. The Luxor Obelisk in Paris, 1950s

8. Second Cleopatra's Needle in Rome, unknown date

9. Third Cleopatra's Needle, London, 1800s

10. Memnon, Upper Egypt, unknown date