Statues discovered at ancient Hermonthis in EgyptArticle created on Friday, December 20, 2013
Print
Two statues of Egyptian dignitaries; one a scribe and physician to a Pharaoh from the mid-18th Dynasty and the other a high priest and contemporary of Ramses II, were unearthed in November at the site of Armant in the region of Thebes (Upper Egypt). A fragment of limestone wall from a temple dating to the Middle Kingdom (2000 BC) was also discovered.
The finds were made by a team of archaeologists led by Christophe Thiers, Director of the Centre Franco-Egyptian study of Karnak temples and are in an excellent state of preservation. Only a few days earlier, five sandstone Pharaoh heads were found at the same site.
Limestone statue of Nebamon. © CNRS-CFEETK / J. Maucor.
Ancient Hermonthis
Since 2004, regular archaeological work has been carried out at the site of Armant - ancient Hermonthis – which sits a few kilometres south of Luxor.
The first statue to be discovered in November was that of Nebamon – a mid-18th Dynasty elite official who was a royal scribe and physician of the Pharaoh. On his knees is a seated statue of the god Montu.
The second statue is of Ramose, the first high priest of Montu Ermant and a contemporary of Ramses II. He is depicted with an offering table on top of which sit two falcon heads, personifying the god Montu. This double representation of the god is unique as no other statue of this type has as yet been found. Ramose was only known by a statue housed at the Art Institute of Chicago and a representation in the Theban tomb of Khonsu in which he participates in a procession in honour of the god of Armant.
Statue de Ramose. © CNRS-CFEETK / J. Maucor
Statue de Ramose. © CNRS-CFEETK / J. Maucor
A slab has also been found (160 x 130 x 40 cm) which is a fragment of limestone wall of the main temple of the Middle Empire dedicated to the god Montu-Re. This block of stone bears a representation of the god of death Anubis and dates from the reign of Amenemhat I (circa 1990 BC).
Royal heads
Five royal heads were also found in the foundations at the front of the temple of Montu-Ra, where they were intentionally grouped. Carved out of sandstone, they measure between 61 and 84 cm and bear the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The state of preservation is good and still clearly visible are blue pigments (beard) and reds (skin and part of the crown). They bear no hieroglyphic inscription to reveal the name of the Pharaoh but initial observations suggest that they are of Middle Kingdom date.
Source: CNRS
More Information
French research at the temples of Karnak
French Institute Eastern Archaeology – Cairo
The Life and Career of Nebamun, the Physician of the King in Thebes by JJ Shirley
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2013/statues-discovered-at-ancient-hermonthis-in-egypt
