Aerial view of the obelisk machinery at the Circus Maximus in Rome. Unfinished drawing. The drawing is in landscape format and has no frame. Inscriptions appear on the reverse.
The drawing depicts the machinery required to erect the obelisk on the spina of the Circus Maximus track. A wooden ramp and scaffolding were erected. The obelisk was raised using hoists attached to scaffolding. The cables were tensioned by “mill-wheel” shaped machines placed on the track. In the lower part of the drawing, you can see the other marble elements that were to feature on the spina. The circus tiers are arranged around the ring. They remain unfinished on the drawing.
drawing.