Archaeologists working in Luxor have uncovered a magnificent statue of King Amenhotep III of ancient Egypt and several statues and statuettes of the cat goddess Sekhmet meant to protect him.
The project of excavating the temple by the Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project has been underway for many years. Over time, rising Nile waters, pillaging, and a powerful earthquake contributed to the temple’s ruin.
The statue of Amenhotep III is in black granite and depicts him seated on his throne. It is 248 centimeters (8.14 feet) tall, 61 cm (2 feet) wide, and 110 cm (3.6 feet) deep, according to an article about the find in Ahram Online that quoted project director Hourig Sourouzian.
“It is a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian sculpture: extremely well carved and perfectly polished,” Sourouzian said. She added that the king’s facial features look youthful, meaning that the statue was carved in his earlier years as Egypt’s ruler.
The team found a similar sculpture of Amenhotep III in 2009. That statue is on display in the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art. Someday it will be returned to stand in Amenhotep’s restored funerary temple in its original position, as will this latest find.
The head of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, Mahmoud Afifi, said 66 statues of Sekhmet have been unearthed this archaeological season. Some of the goddess is pictured in various poses, including heads, busts, and other parts.
The Sekhmet statues were discovered in the area between the temple’s Peristyle Court and the Hypostyle Hall. Archaeologists have been excavating the area below the wall that separated the court from the hall. The discovery of the statues will be expected to increase knowledge of how the temple was laid out.
Some of the statues of Sekhmet were unearthed in situ. (Ministry of Antiquities)
The temple was heavily damaged by a powerful earthquake in 27 BC that knocked over the walls and the columns that held them up. The lion-headed goddess statues had survived extensively, guaranteeing durability during the Roman period, according to Ahram Online. She said the statues are of great interest to researchers. Conservators intend to put all the statues of the goddess back in their original positions when the project is completed.
Sekhmet’s name is derived from the word “sekhem,” which means might. One of her myths was that she protects the sun god from his enemies. Amenhotep had hundreds of sculptures of Sekhmet made for temples built in Thebes during his reign, which lasted from about 1386 BC until 1349 BC. He was 50 years old when he died.
One of the better-preserved statues of Sekhmet, the cat goddess meant to protect Amenhotep III’s temple in Thebes, was called the “temple for millions of years.” The large number of Sekhmet statues were meant to protect Amenhotep III. (The Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project)
His funerary temple in Thebes was called the “temple for millions of years.” The large number of Sekhmet statues were meant to protect the king from evil and prevent disasters. The World Monuments Fund has an article about Amenhotep III and his works that states:
“Amenhotep III is remembered for decades of peaceful economic, political stability, and the creation of some of ancient Egypt’s most magnificent complexes. His reign was marked by prosperity, when the treasury was filled with gold from foreign campaigns, until his death in 1349 B.C. at the age of 50. His reign was marked by prosperity, political stability, and the creation of some of ancient Egypt’s most magnificent complexes. His legacy includes an elaborate mortuary temple intended for rituals and offerings to honor the king for eternity.”
A colossal statue of Amenhotep III is on display at the British Museum. (Public Domain)
Unfortunately, the king built his funerary temple too close to the Nile River, and it was swamped by river water. Pillaging by humans further damaged the buildings and statues. The earthquake damaged it even more. Nevertheless, archaeologists have been working to salvage what they can and intend to rebuild and conserve the more statues temple.