Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

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Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

Post by Winged Isis »

Newly discovered colossi of Amenhotep III to be restored
Pair of Pharaoh Amenhotep III colossal statues to undergo intensive restoration as a part of Egypt's conservation project
Nevine El-Aref , Monday 11 Feb 2013

The mortuary temple of the18th Dynasty Pharaoh Amenhotep III on Luxor's west bank was a hive of activity on Monday, as workers along with Egyptian and foreign archaeologists have packed a pair of colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in an attempt to transport it to an area almost 60 km far of the temple for restoration.
Horig Sourouzian, head of the Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project (CMATCP), told Ahram Online that both statues once stood at the northern gate of the temple, 200 metres behind the Colossi of Memnon. However, the statues collapsed and broke into several pieces in 27 BC during a destructive earthquake. These were originally discovered in situ in 1933 but recovered by sand. In 2010, the CMATCP mission uncovered them in the passageway leading to the third pylon of the temple.

“The two colossi are the only ones of this size that have been preserved,” Sourouzian said. “They are estimated to have been about 14 metres tall and show Pharaoh Amenhotep III seated on his throne, wearing the royal beard, the nemes head dress and a pleated shendjyt kilt."

“In order to restore and conserve both statues carved in sand stone, they have been removed to a more dry area almost 60 metres far of the mortuary temple,” said Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud deputy of head of the ancient Egyptian antiquities section at the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA).

“The conservation project aims at returning both statues to their original condition through reassembling all their pieces and fragments as well as consolidating them. Scenes and hieroglyphic texts engraved on the statues bases will be also cleaned and restored,” he explained.

Minister of State for Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim described the statues as one of the most beautifully carved images of Pharaoh Amenhotep III known, and called it "a masterpiece of a royal portrait.”

The statues show the facial features of Pharaoh Amenhotep III with the almond eyes prolonged with cosmetic bands, a small nose and a large mouth with wide lips outlined with a sharp ridge.


http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent ... be-re.aspx


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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

Post by Horus »

I remember seeing the very first signs of what would be the future excavation in this area and watching over the years as more stuff was unearthed. When you see old photos that show the whole of this area under water it is no wonder that the temple has sunk into the subsoil, but even though many were intended to flood it does seem like a poor place to choose in the first place.
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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

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Horus wrote:..... but even though many were intended to flood it does seem like a poor place to choose in the first place.
Que???
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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

Post by Horus »

Que???
Now is that the Que as in Spanish for What?
If so, then is it "what" as in "I don't belive what you are saying" In other words are you expressing incredulity? or is it the "what" as in pardon, I did not hear you correctly?
I will happily elaborate if you ask me a question, but I am afraid a "Que" on its own conveys very little to me.
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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

Post by Winged Isis »

Sorry, my obscure humour! "Que?" as in Manuel from Fawlty Towers", an in-joke between friends with a similar bent. :roll:

Tell me more about them being meant to flood, please, or give me a link to research; I've never heard about that.
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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

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Hello? Horus? :sl:
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Re: Newly Discovered Colossi of Amenhotep III to be Restored

Post by Horus »

WI, I cannot point you to any particular references, but it is just something I have always assumed and believed to be the case, I am sure that at some time over the many years of reading about Egypt I have come across this supposition that some temples were flooded during the inundation and that this was an intentional event. When you consider certain factors such as the Nile rising by 40 ft on occasions it is hard to believe otherwise when you see the location of these temples, the Egyptians were no fools when it came to the annual flooding so they would be very much aware of the extents that the Nile would spread out over the flood plain. Other things make me believe that this was a desired effect at certain times of the year, look at the column bases of Luxor and Karnak, perfect as a way of raising the pillar above the water and when flooded with a few feet of water would re-create the creation myth within a sea of reeds (the reed columns). These bases although massive are actually just sitting on gravel (or were before renovation) as discovered when the fallen columns at Luxor and Karnak were re-erected. I also have a theory that maybe the fact that the inner sanctum is always on a higher level than the rest of the temple complex (often described as intended to make you feel small in the presence of the god) may also be intended to represent the ‘mound of creation’ when the main temple area was flooded. I am not talking about wading up to your neck here, rather something that was knee deep.

Take a look at this picture to see the extent of the flooding around Luxor during the inundation, if you look at the water at the back of the photograph you would have to say that the water would be swirling around Karnak Temple if it were out that far into the landscape.
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I have dug out these pictures to show you that these temples did flood before the Aswan dam was built
34673468
34693465

But more relevant to the current discussion of the temple complex of Amenhotep III behind the Colossi of Memnon statues, I had a driver who lived in El Gourna who told me that as a boy he would play in the water around the statues, so it was a common occurrence even then. Take a look at this picture and note the height of the bases on the statues as indicated by the people standing around, even taking average height and perspective those bases are at least 5 to 6 foot high.

3464

Now take a look at the height of the water in this picture, anyone who has stood by those statues knows that the ground is if anything slightly lower, but it would be fair to assume that the temple courtyards would be at the same level as the base of the plinths., so I leave you to make up your own mind.

3463
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