Luxor, Egypt – Pharaoh’s Massive Stone Head Unearthed

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    This undated photo released by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday Feb. 28, 2010, shows the newly unearthed 3,400-year old red granite head, part of a huge statue of the ancient pharaoh Amenhotep III, at the pharaoh's mortuary temple in the city of Luxor. Egypt's Culture Ministry says a team of Egyptian and European archaeologists has unearthed a large head made of red granite of an ancient pharaoh who ruled Egypt some 3,400 years ago. (AP Photo/ Supreme Council of Antiquities)Luxor, Egypt – Archaeologists have unearthed the massive head of one Egypt’s most famous pharoahs who ruled nearly 3,400 years ago, the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities announced Sunday.

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    The head of Amenhotep III, which alone is about the height of a person, was found in the ruins of the pharaoh’s mortuary temple in the southern city of Luxor.

    The Egyptian-European expedition under the guidance of German-Armenian archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian has been excavating the temple near the famous seated colossi of Memnon for the last several years.

    The head is part of a larger statue found several years ago and Sourouzian believes its ceremonial beard is still buried somewhere nearby.

    Amenhotep III, the grandfather of Tutankhamun, ruled from 1387-1348 B.C.E. at the height of Egypt’s New Kingdom and presided over a vast empire stretching from Nubia in the south to Syria in the north.

    His massive mortuary temple, however, was largely destroyed, possible by floods, and little remains of its walls.

    The expedition, however, has unearthed a wealth of artifacts and statuary in the buried ruins, including two statues of Amenhotep made of black granite found in March.


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    5 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I knew Pharaoh had a heart of stone, but a head of stone as well? amazing

    Richard Nixon
    Richard Nixon
    14 years ago

    Tough getting a-head in Egyptian politics.

    Curious
    Curious
    14 years ago

    It’s interesting that the pharaohs have a snake just where we wear tephillin.

    Aron
    Aron
    14 years ago

    Apparently, all that power went to his head.

    murray
    murray
    14 years ago

    In the future, expeditions will unearth the head of Ahmidenejad.