Egypt unveils restored colossal statues of pharaoh in Luxor

Luxor, Egypt – In a move to attract more tourists, Egypt has revealed the restored Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues of a prominent pharaoh, in the southern city of Luxor. The unveiling marks the culmination of a two-decade-long renovation project.

The statues depict Amenhotep III, who reigned over ancient Egypt approximately 3,400 years ago. According to Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the colossi are important to Luxor, a city renowned for its ancient temples and antiquities. The restoration also aims to recreate the appearance of King Amenhotep III's funerary temple as it once stood.

Amenhotep III ruled during the New Kingdom, considered ancient Egypt's most prosperous period. His reign, from 1390 to 1353 BC, was marked by peace, prosperity, and significant construction projects, including his mortuary temple where the Colossi of Memnon are located, and the Soleb temple in Nubia. His mummy is currently on display at a museum in Cairo.

According to Mohamed Ismail, a powerful earthquake around 1200 BC caused the statues to fall and also destroyed Amenhotep III’s funerary temple. The statues were fragmented, and some of their blocks were reused in the Karnak temple. The Antiquities Ministry reported that archaeologists retrieved these blocks to reconstruct the colossi.

An Egyptian-German mission, led by German Egyptologist Hourig Sourouzian, began working in the temple area in the late 1990s, focusing on the assembly and renovation of the colossi. Sourouzian stated that the project aimed to preserve the remaining elements of what was once a distinguished temple.

The statues portray Amenhotep III seated with his hands resting on his thighs, his face oriented eastward toward the Nile and the rising sun. They are adorned with the nemes headdress, double crowns, and the pleated royal kilt, all symbols of the pharaoh's divine rule. Two smaller statues at the pharaoh’s feet represent his wife, Tiye.

The statues, standing at 14.5 meters (48 feet) and 13.6 meters (45 feet) tall, guard the entrance to the king’s temple on the Nile's western bank. The temple complex, covering 35 hectares (86 acres), is considered the largest and richest in Egypt, often compared to the Karnak temple, also in Luxor.

The colossi were carved from Egyptian alabaster sourced from the Hatnub quarries in Middle Egypt. They are mounted on large pedestals bearing inscriptions that identify the temple and the quarry. The ministry noted that, uniquely for ancient Egyptian monumental sculptures, the colossi were assembled from separately sculpted pieces fixed to a main alabaster core.

The unveiling in Luxor follows the recent inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, a major component of the government’s strategy to revitalize the tourism sector and boost the Egyptian economy. The museum is located near the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx.

The tourism sector in Egypt, heavily reliant on its ancient artifacts, has faced challenges due to political instability and violence since the 2011 uprising. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. it has begun to recover following the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, both of which impacted tourism from major source countries.

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy, who attended the ceremony, believes the site will attract visitors for years. He also noted ongoing developments in Luxor. Official figures indicate that Egypt welcomed approximately 15.7 million tourists in 2024, contributing about 8% to the country’s GDP. Minister Fathy projects around 18 million tourists this year, with the government aiming for 30 million annual visitors by 2032.