King Tut's grandfather discovered two enormous sphinxes in an ancient Egyptian temple.

Once upon a time, the sphinxes stretched for a full 26 ft.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, archaeologists have uncovered two massive sphinx-like limestone statues of King Amenhotep III.

An Egyptian-German archaeological mission discovered the sphinx-like statues. They were about 26 feet (8 metres) long and were made for King Amenhotep III of the 18th dynasty, whose reign was known for peace and prosperity (from roughly 1390 B.C. to 1353 B.C.). Amenhotep III was the grandfather of King Tutankhamun.

The sphinxes were discovered on January 13 by a team led by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the mortuary temple of King Amenhotep III, also known as the "Temple of Millions of Years" by ancient Egyptians.

The life-size statues of Amenhotep III that resemble sphinxes are called colossi. Al-Monitor, a Middle Eastern news outlet, reports that the archaeological mission that began with the Colossi of Memnon and the Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project in 1998 uncovered the remains of columns and walls at the mortuary temple that were painted with scenes from ancient Egyptian ceremonies and rituals.

Secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mustafa Waziri released a statement explaining that the two colossi depict Amenhotep III with a mongoose-shaped headpiece, a regal beard, and a thick necklace. One of the colossi was found to have an inscription over its chest that referred to Amenhotep III as "the darling of Amun-Re."

According to Egyptologist Hourig Sourouzian, who led the archaeological mission, "this temple housed a huge number of statues, models, and wall decorations, before it was devastated by a terrible earthquake around 1200 B.C." Al-Monitor.

The three statues of the strong goddess Sakhmet (sometimes spelt Sekhmet) were also discovered by the expedition; she is depicted with the head of a lion and a woman's body. Peristyle courts, open on all sides, housed the Sakhmet statues at their facades.

Sourouzian told Al-Monitor, "In the peristyle, the recently unearthed pieces of wall relief depict new scenes of the Heb-Sed," a festival of the king inaugurated after 30 years of his rule and repeated every three years after that.

According to Abdel Rahim Rihan, the director general of research, archaeological studies, and scientific publication in South Sinai for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Heb-Sed festival was "one of the most important feasts for ancient Egyptians that celebrates the end of the 30th year of the king's ascension to the throne." Al-Monitor reported this. "Images from this celebration often show the monarch sitting on his throne, surrounded by a jubilant and expectant populace who are eagerly awaiting the king's speech, in which he promises another prosperous and opulent 30 year reign. Offerings to the gods were also made by the king on these occasions."

At the height of the festival, the pharaoh would have run a racing course in the courtyard to show off his athletic skill, as explained by Rahim Rihan.

The archaeologists outlined four stages of the preservation effort. All newly documented objects will be returned to their original locations within the temple after the team finishes surveying the site and investigating the ruins. Sourouzian said the team would eventually administer the site and decide how best to maintain it in the future.

Reference : https://www.livescience.com/two-ancient-egyptian-sphinxes-discovered-at-temple

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/photos/piramida-mesir-kuno-gurun-giza-2371501/

Are there two sphinxes?

What 2 things does the Sphinx symbolize?

Who was Tutankhamun's grandfather?

What were sphinxes famous for?

Who shot the nose off the Sphinx?

Who broke the nose of the Sphinx?

What happened to the 2nd sphinx?

How many great sphinx are there?

What is the Sphinx name?