Antiquities Min. Addresses Ramses II’s Statue Controversial Claims

Recently, some scholars and professors of archaeology at various universities have raised a great debate between supporters and opponents about the statue of King Ramses II, which was unveiled at the Luxor Temple in the presence of the Prime Minister.

Some questioned the authenticity of placing this statue in front of the first edifice of the temple Luxor, saying it contradicts the other statues standing on the left leg. They based their opposition on the graffiti at the southwestern wall of the courtyard of King Ramses II, which shows the presence of six statues; two of them in the sitting posture and four standing with an advanced left foot.

The ministry impinged all the allegation, pointing out that the graffiti of King Ramses II, engraved at the edifice’s foreground, is a depiction that reflects the temple’s frontage at that time. Besides, its engraving style coincides with all the inscriptions and monuments of the edifice, confirming its history of the reign of King Ramses II.

https://youtu.be/bnhN61BDfoo

Luxor Temple’s Director Ahmed Orabi explained that the scenery at King Ramses II’s Patio’s southwestern wall is engraved in a style contrasting to the carving style of all the other wall paintings adjacent to it. This pinpoints that that the standing and sitting statues date back to an era post Ramses II.

Although King Ramses III used a distinctive style in the inscription so deep, making impossible to recreate the inscription. It was once again that King Ramses IV changed and replaced some of the blocks in the facade, and he engraved his famous landscape with the exact inscription, as happened in the view of the courtyard of King Ramses II.

“As for the statue that has been situated where it was originally discovered by Dr. Mohamed AbdelQader in 1958,” said Orabi.