Colossi of Memnon Luxor Egypt tours, booking, prices, reviews
Colossi of Memnon Luxor are two gigantic stone statues. They known as Colossi of Memnon since 1350 BC. In fact, the colossi guard the temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. It is where worshiped as a god-on-earth both before and after his departure from this world. Moreover, the massive statues, each about 20 meters high resemble Amenhotep III himself. They got their name after one of the statues, the right one to the north damaged in an earthquake. Colossi of Memnon Luxor are not the only massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep. In fact, in 2014, archaeologists unearthed two more statues of the pharaoh. The new statues of the pharaoh join a pair of already famous giants. It is at the temple which known as the Colossi of Memnon. They are 16 meter high images of King Amenhotep who seated on his throne. They also made of quartz.
Strabo is a Greek historian and geographer of the 1st century. He recorded an earthquake in 27 BC. It shattered the northern colossus, causing the upper section to fall away. For some reason, after it damaged, the statue of Colossi of Memnon Luxor would emit strange sounds in the morning. It possibly related to the heat of the Sun. Furthermore, Ancient Greeks tried to find an explanation for the sound and looked to the story of Memnon by Homer. Memnon was a hero of the Trojan War, a King of Ethiopia. He led his armies from Africa into Asia Minor. It was to help defend the beleaguered city but slain by Achilles. After his death, he reappeared in a statue in Thebes. It is after given immortality by Zeus and cried every morning with the rising of the Sun.
Further details about Colossi of Memnon Luxor:
The damage to the statue created a fissure in the rock. It made it “sing” or “whistle” every morning at dawn. Thought that this caused by the evaporation of dew inside the porous rock. Moreover, the sounds led to the birth of the legend of the “Vocal Memnon”. According to the legend, hearing the sound brought good luck. It believed that the statue was an oracle. Several Roman Emperors, came to marvel at the Colossi of Memnon Luxor. The last recorded reliable mention of the sound dates from 196. Later in the Roman era, the upper tiers of sandstone added and the sound vanished.
Not only are Colossi of Memnon Luxor high, they are also heavy. Each of the colossi weighs around 700 ton. They made from blocks of quartz sandstone. It quarried at The Red Mountain. It is near to modern Cairo. They transported 675 km overland to Thebes (Luxor). The temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III today completely destroyed. It first ruined by flood waters and later cannibalized for its stone. In fact, the colossi damaged as well, lacking their faces and tall royal crowns. Yet, these ancient statues are still impressive. Their presence attests to the greatness of the ancestors.
