Washington: A unique statue of King Amenhotep III, who is believed to be the grandfather of King Tutankhamun, has been unearthed at his funerary temple on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor.
A statement released on Tuesday by Egypt’s ministry of state for antiquities said that the discovery was accomplished by a team of Egyptian and European archaeologists, reports Discovery News.
Finely carved in alabaster, a stone hewn in the quarries of Hatnub in Middle Egypt, the sculpture shows King Amenhotep III seated, wearing the Nemes headdress (a striped headcloth that pharaohs put on), a pleated kilt and a royal beard.
Measuring 1.20 meters in height, the well-preserved face of the pharaoh has been described by antiquities minister Zahi Hawass as "a masterpiece of royal portraiture."
It features almond-shaped eyes outlined with cosmetic bands, a short nose and a large mouth with wide lips.
Amenhotep III (1390-1352 B.C.) ruled for 38 years during a time when Egypt was at the height of its prosperity and cultural development.
ANI
First Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 09:16