From unbelievable Lioness statues to a Roman emperor’s tomb, here are 9 of the most incredible and mysterious egyptian statues ever discovered.
9 Sam-metishus I Likeness
In early 2017, Egyptian and German crews were working hard to excavate an area that would otherwise be destroyed by rising waste levels and groundwater invasion...not a fun mess to deal with. The area, a slum in Cairo, was built on the previous site of the ancient city of Heliopolis, a town built to honor Re, the sun god. During the excavation, an enormous, damaged bust was uncovered. As they kept digging, many smaller pieces were found to complete the face of the work. Standing over twenty six feet tall and made entirely of dazzling quartzite, this enormous statue is dated at around 3000 years old. Originally it was believed to depict Ramses II due to the location and because they found a smaller limestone statue of Ramses grandson. But now the statue is thought to be Psammetichus, a different golden king of egypt, due to an inscription on the statue reading, “Nebaa”, a name closely related with Psammetichus. It will be cleaned, repaired, and displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is set to open later in 2018.
8 Cairo Sun Temple
Ramses II was known for his massive building projects. In 2006, one of Ramses II’s monuments was uncovered beneath an outdoor market in Cairo. Archaeologists unearthed a massive sun temple while excavating a nearby site and believe it to have been built in honor of one of Ramses’s victories in battle or as a token to the sun god, Re. Inside of the temple, archaeologists found several statue fragments, including a pink granite head that weighed in at nearly five tons. The projected size of the rest of that statue alone is over twenty feet tall. A second granite head was also found, but that one only weighted a mesley two tons. Other artifacts, including areas to store wheat and amulet making kilns were also found, alongside a carving that showed Ramses II in the leopard skin garments of a high priest of Re. This carving is culturally significant and shows the extent of Ramses’s devotion and status.
7 Aspelta, Taharqa, and Senkamanisken
While the Kush people were, of course, not the Egyptians, we historically know through literature and film that they heavily felt the influence of their bustling neighbors. This is shown through the incredible discovery of statues dedicated to Kushite rulers Aspelta, Taharqa, and Senka-manisken at a temple dedicated to Amun. In 2008, the three statues were uncovered, though only Taharqa and Senkamanisken were identifiable. Aspelta’s statue was badly damaged and missing any sort of hieroglyphic inscription so dating and naming the piece was nearly impossible. Fortunately, in 2018, more pieces of the statue were found, including the inscription. The three statues are being cleaned and repaired to be put on display and are estimated to be over two thousand years old. In contrast to the larger than life statues of Ramses II, these three are believed to be roughly lifesize renditions of their inspirations, though their exact dimensions will not be known until the repairs are entirely complete.
6 Tomb of a Jeweler
Appearances were incredibly important in Ancient Egypt. Pharaohs and Queens groomed themselves regularly and often wore intricate clothes and accessories. Due to this, many pharaohs chose specific jewelers to supply their adornments. In 2017, a tomb was uncovered that is believed to be the 3500 year old resting place of a jeweler named Amenemhat. Amenemhat was buried along with several others, who were likely his family members. Inside the tomb, archaeologists discovered a statue depicting Amenemhat and his wife with a portrait of their son between them. Over 150 smaller funerary statues were found, all carved from wood, clay, and limestone. Funerary equipment and many pieces of jewelry were also found in the tomb alongside numerous other artifacts. Researchers are hopeful that other similar tombs may be uncovered in the near future due to the proximity to nearby temples.
5. Tombs of a Priest of Thoth
Thoth is known as the god of the moon and wisdom in Egyptian culture. He is often times depicted as a man with the head of an Ibis. Thoth was a scribe, collecting knowledge and stories for generations to come. The priests who followed him collected mortal history and practiced rituals in his name. In early 2018, archaeologists uncovered a tomb dedicated to such a priest. The priest was found mummified and covered in red and blue beading; his organs preserved in jars near his body. Inside the tomb were also several of the priest’s family members’ bodies and artifacts, including an astounding number of statues. In total, more than one thousand individual sculptures were uncovered, making this one of the largest finds in recent Egyptian history.
4 King Menkaura
3 A Roman Emperor
2 A Sunken City
1 27 Lioness Goddess Statues
