ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unveiled two colossal
statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Egypt's famed temple city of Luxor, adding
to an existing pair of world-renowned tourist attractions.
The two monoliths in red quartzite were
raised at what European and Egyptian archaeologists said were their original
sites in the funerary temple of the king, on the west bank of the
Nile.
The temple is already famous for its
existing 3400-year-old Memnon colossi — twin statues of Amenhotep III whose
reign archaeologists say marked the political and cultural zenith of ancient
Egyptian civilisation.
“The world until now knew two Memnon
colossi, but from today it will know four colossi of Amenhotep III,” said
German-Armenian archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian, who heads the project to
conserve the Amenhotep III temple.
The existing two statues, both showing the
pharaoh seated, are known across the globe.
The two restored additions have weathered
severe damage for centuries, Ms Sourouzian said.
“The statues had lain in pieces for
centuries in the fields, damaged by destructive forces of nature like
earthquake, and later by irrigation water, salt, encroachment and vandalism,”
she said, as behind her excavators and local villagers washed pieces of
artefacts and statues unearthed over the past months.
“This beautiful temple still has enough
for us to study and conserve.”
One of the “new” statues — its body
weighing 250 tonnes — again depicts the pharaoh seated, hands resting on his
knees.
It is 11.5 metres tall, with a base 1.5
metres high and 3.6 metres wide.
Archaeologists said with its now missing
double crown, the original statue would have reached a height of 13.5 metres and
weighed 450 tonnes.
The king is depicted wearing a royal
pleated kilt held at the waist by a large belt decorated with zigzag
lines.
Amenhotep III statue in Egypt's
temple city of Luxor. Source: AFP
With many thanks to The
Australian
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