Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt on Sunday unveiled the restoration and reassembly of two colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the southern city of Luxor, marking a significant milestone in a long-running archaeological project aimed at reviving one of ancient Egypt’s most prestigious temple complexes and boosting cultural tourism.
The towering alabaster statues, known as the Colossi of Memnon, were revealed following a restoration effort that spanned nearly two decades. The statues depict Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt’s most influential rulers, who reigned approximately 3,400 years ago during the height of the New Kingdom.
“Today we are celebrating the completion and erection of these two colossal statues,” Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said ahead of the ceremony. He described the project as a major step toward reconstructing the original grandeur of Amenhotep III’s vast funerary temple on the west bank of the Nile.
Luxor, home to some of the world’s most renowned archaeological sites, holds particular historical and symbolic importance for the colossi. Ismail said the restoration is part of a broader effort to help visitors better understand how the mortuary temple once appeared before its destruction thousands of years ago.
Amenhotep III ruled from about 1390 to 1353 BC, a period widely regarded as one of ancient Egypt’s most peaceful and prosperous eras. His reign was marked by ambitious construction projects, artistic flourishing, and strong diplomatic ties across the ancient Near East. His mortuary temple, once among the largest ever built in Egypt, stood near the Colossi of Memnon, while another major temple dedicated to him was constructed at Soleb in Nubia. His mummy is now displayed in a museum in Cairo.
The colossi themselves suffered extensive damage around 1200 BC, when a powerful earthquake struck the region, toppling the statues and devastating much of the surrounding temple complex. Over centuries, the fallen statues were fragmented, with parts scattered or reused in other monuments, including the Karnak Temple complex.
According to the Ministry of Antiquities, archaeologists painstakingly recovered displaced blocks and fragments, returning them to their original location to reconstruct the statues. Work on the site began in the late 1990s, led by a joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission under the direction of German Egyptologist Hourig Sourouzian.
“This project aims to preserve what remains of a once-prestigious temple,” Sourouzian said, noting that the restoration was as much about safeguarding heritage as it was about deepening scholarly understanding of ancient Egyptian architecture and religious practices.
The unveiling of the restored colossi is the latest in a series of high-profile archaeological announcements and heritage events organized by Egypt in recent years, part of a broader strategy to highlight the country’s ancient legacy and attract international visitors.
Officials say the project not only restores two iconic monuments but also brings renewed attention to the scale and significance of Amenhotep III’s funerary complex, offering a glimpse into a golden age of ancient Egyptian civilization that continues to captivate the world.
