THE NEEDLE THAT WAS NOT CLEOPATRA'S.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 145, 11 September 1895, Page 4

THE NEEDLE THAT WAS NOT CLEOPATRA'S.

The English climate will shortly be held responsible for the loss to archaeology of the inscription on Cleopatra's needle. Could not something be done to Rtop this decay ! The side. facing Charing Cross station has almost entirely disappeared alreauy, and the names of Thothmes 111. aud Barneses 11. have become almost obliterated. Apropos of tho Needle, many of our readers doubtless are of opinion that this obelisk was erected by Queen Cleopatra. We take, therefore the opportunity to correct this error. The London Needle was first erected by Thothmes 111. B.C. 1600, in front of ihe temple of the Sun-god at On. or Heliopolia. When Barneses 11., B. c. 1333, came to rule tho Nile Valley he ad led his name to that of his predecessor. Now, the only claim that Cleopatoa has to the Needles is derived from the fact that in order to adorn her palace at Laodicea she had them taken from their original positions and rt-erected in Alexandria. We doubt very much if there was enough skill and enterprise in Egypt in the days of Cleopatra to ever produce such monuments as the one now seen on tho banks of tho Thames.