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Pharaoh's statue restored 3,200 years after collapse in earthquake
12.9-metre statue of Amenhotep III stands again at northern gate of
king's funerary temple in Luxor
Agence France-Presse in Cairo
The Guardian, Sunday 14 December 2014 19.34 GMT
The twin Memnon colossi show Amenhotep III seated. Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP
Archaeologists have unveiled a restored statue of Amenhotep III that
was toppled in an earthquake more than 3,000 years ago at Egypt's
temple city of Luxor.
The statue was re-erected at the northern gate of the king's funerary
temple on the west bank of the Nile. The temple is already famous for
its 3,400-year-old Memnon colossi - twin statues of Amenhotep III,
whose reign archaeologists say marked the political and cultural
zenith of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The 12.9-metre (43ft) statue unveiled on Sunday stands west of another
effigy of the king, also depicting him walking, which was unveiled in
March. "These are up to now the highest standing effigies of an
Egyptian king in striding attitude," said German-Armenian
archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian, who heads the project to conserve the
temple. The twin Memnon colossi are 21 metres tall but show the
pharaoh seated.
The restored statue now stands again for the first time since its
collapse 3,200 years ago, Sourouzian said. Consisting of 89 large
pieces and numerous small fragments and reassembled since November,
the monolith weighs 110 tonnes. It had lain broken in pieces after an
earthquake in 1200BC, Sourouzian said.
The statue shows the king wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, and
each hand holding a papyrus roll inscribed with his name. His belt,
holding a dagger with a falcon-head handle, is fastened with a
rectangular clasp bearing the names of the king.
Pharaoh Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the
Euphrates to Sudan, archaeologists say. The 18th dynasty ruler became
king aged around 12, with his mother as regent. Amenhotep III died in
around 1354BC and was succeeded by his son Amenhotep IV, widely known
as Akhenaten.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/14/pharaoh-amenhotep-iii-statue-restored-luxor
12.9-metre statue of Amenhotep III stands again at northern gate of
king's funerary temple in Luxor
Agence France-Presse in Cairo
The Guardian, Sunday 14 December 2014 19.34 GMT
The twin Memnon colossi show Amenhotep III seated. Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP
Archaeologists have unveiled a restored statue of Amenhotep III that
was toppled in an earthquake more than 3,000 years ago at Egypt's
temple city of Luxor.
The statue was re-erected at the northern gate of the king's funerary
temple on the west bank of the Nile. The temple is already famous for
its 3,400-year-old Memnon colossi - twin statues of Amenhotep III,
whose reign archaeologists say marked the political and cultural
zenith of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The 12.9-metre (43ft) statue unveiled on Sunday stands west of another
effigy of the king, also depicting him walking, which was unveiled in
March. "These are up to now the highest standing effigies of an
Egyptian king in striding attitude," said German-Armenian
archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian, who heads the project to conserve the
temple. The twin Memnon colossi are 21 metres tall but show the
pharaoh seated.
The restored statue now stands again for the first time since its
collapse 3,200 years ago, Sourouzian said. Consisting of 89 large
pieces and numerous small fragments and reassembled since November,
the monolith weighs 110 tonnes. It had lain broken in pieces after an
earthquake in 1200BC, Sourouzian said.
The statue shows the king wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, and
each hand holding a papyrus roll inscribed with his name. His belt,
holding a dagger with a falcon-head handle, is fastened with a
rectangular clasp bearing the names of the king.
Pharaoh Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the
Euphrates to Sudan, archaeologists say. The 18th dynasty ruler became
king aged around 12, with his mother as regent. Amenhotep III died in
around 1354BC and was succeeded by his son Amenhotep IV, widely known
as Akhenaten.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/14/pharaoh-amenhotep-iii-statue-restored-luxor