The Egyptian-German archaeological mission working on the temple of King Amenhotep III in Luxor has discovered several pharaonic statues and parts of statues, Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said.
Privately-owned news website Youm7 quoted Damaty as saying that the statues will be displayed at the temple once a security wall has been completed around the site and cleaning and documentation work is concluded.
Mahmoud Afify, head of the ministry’s Egyptian antiquities sector, said the newly discovered statues include complete representations of the goddess Sekhmet. She has the head of a lioness and a human body sitting on a throne and holding the Ankh cross, the ancient Egyptian symbol for life.
The upper part of one statue and the lower part of another were also found, in addition to two middle parts of statues showing Sekhmet. She is standing and holding a sceptre in the form of a papyrus in her left hand and the Ankh symbol in her right hand, the website added.
A statue of King Amenhotep III shows the king standing, while wearing the special uniform of his jubilee. It is 77 cm tall and 56 cm wide.
The head of the German mission in Egypt expressed his appreciation for the ministry in removing all obstacles to work at the site. He added that several unique statues of Sekhmet were found before, showing her with the head of a lioness and a female body, while wearing a wig and long gown.
