New archeological discovery at King Amenhotep III’s Temple

CAIRO – 9 March 2017: The German archaeological mission working on the renovation of King Amenhotep III’s temple area in Luxor uncovered parts of 66 statutes of the Pharaonic goddess Sekhmet during the 2017 excavation season, the Ministry of Antiquities’ official Facebook page announced Wednesday.

The mission head, Professor Horig Suruzaan, confirmed the statutes are in good condition and represent an important artistic, scientific and archeological value.

“They will present a full picture of the temple, especially after its collapse in an earthquake in the eighteenth century,” Suruzaan said, according to the statement.

Mahmoud Afifi, head of Ancient Egyptian Antiquities at the ministry, said the discovery came during a project to restore the Colossi of Memnon and King Amenhotep III’s Temple, which has been ongoing since 1998.

The statutes are currently being restored and put back in their original places at the temple.

The temple of Amenhotep III

was built during the 18th dynasty in the New Kingdom. It is located on the Western bank of the Nile, in the city of Luxor.