Statues of Ancient Egyptian Lioness Deity Sekhmet Uncovered

[Winged Isis]

I'm assuming, going by the date, that is new news.

Statues of ancient Egyptian lioness deity Sekhmet uncovered in Luxor
A collection of 27 fragmented statues of the goddess Sekhmet has been unearthed at the King Amenhotep III funerary temple on Luxor’s west bank
Nevine El-Aref , Sunday 3 Dec 2017

A collection of 27 fragmented statues of the lioness goddess Sekhmet has been uncovered during excavation work at the King Amenhotep III funerary temple at the Kom El-Hettan area on Luxor’s west bank.
The discovery was made by an Egyptian-European archaeological mission led by archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian as part of the King Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the black-granite statues have a maximum height of about two metres. Some statues depict Sekhmet sitting on a throne, holding the symbol of life in her left hand, while others show her standing and holding a papyrus sceptre before her chest. The head of Sekhmet is crowned with a sun-disk, while a uraeus adorns her forehead. Sourouzian told Ahram Online that the discovery includes many almost complete statues with only the feet and base missing.

Those statues that were not buried so deep in the ground are in a good state of preservation, he said. Others that were found at deeper levels are in a bad condition due to subterranean water and salt, which damaged the surface.

“The sculptures are of a high artistic quality and of the greatest archaeological interest,” Sourouzian said.

She said the importance and quality of the statues explains why they survived a period of extensive quarrying of the temple remains in the Ramesside Period, after a heavy earthquake had toppled the walls and the columns of the temple in 1200 B.C.

Sourouzian pointed out that the statues are now in restoration. They will be cleaned and desalinated, as they were lying in a layer of mud and crushed sandstone. All statues of the goddess will be placed back in their original setting when the site protection project is completed.

Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector, pointed to the collaboration between the European mission and the ministry to ensure ongoing excavation work and the completion of the Amenhotep III Temple protect.

The mission began excavation work in 1998, and about 287 statues of Sekhmet have been unearthed since then.

The King Amenhotep III temple is the largest of its kind. It was once a magnificent structure with an unprecedented number of royal and divine statues, among them hundreds of statues of Sekhmet.

Sekhment, whose name means "Powerful One", is one of three figures in the Triad of Memphis sculpture, which also features Ptah and Ramses III.


For photos:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/282656.aspx

[Brian Yare]

They were pulling these out at a rate of more than one a day last year. Driving past the temple I see them being lifted on a frequent basis, sometimes several at a time.

[A-Four]

They were pulling these out at a rate of more than one a day last year. Driving past the temple I see them being lifted on a frequent basis, sometimes several at a time.

Very true Brian, this excavation has been going on for years now, while I was living there each season seemed to get shorter. Although some people may be impressed with each of these statues being brought to the surface, in my opinion there are at least a couple of hundred still to find,.......well officially anyhow.

What I do find so sad, is that there are so few small items found at this site, but then again, when one realises how little the persons who are more likely to find such items, are paid each day, I am sure we from the West understand why. Do the European archeologists honestly believe these workers should simply hand over such small finds which are VITAL in forming the 'big picture' in field archeology,..........and you don't need to have read Petrie to know this.