Colossi of Memnon

Last updated
Colossi of Memnon
Arabic: el-Colossat
Colossi of Memnon May 2015 2.JPG
The Colossi of Memnon in 2015
Colossi of Memnon
25°43′14″N32°36′38″E / 25.72056°N 32.61056°E / 25.72056; 32.61056
LocationWest of Luxor
Typestatue
Material quartzite stone
Height18 m (60 ft)
Completion date1350 BC
Dedicated to Amenhotep III

The Colossi of Memnon (Arabic : el-Colossat or es-Salamat) are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, which stand at the front of the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, the largest temple in the Theban Necropolis. They have stood since 1350 BC, and were well known to ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as early modern travelers and Egyptologists. [1] [2] The statues contain 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin, dated to between AD 20 and 250; many of these inscriptions on the northernmost statue make reference to the Greek mythological king Memnon, whom the statue was then – erroneously – thought to represent. [3]

Contents

Scholars have debated how the identification of the northern colossus as "Memnon" is connected to the Greek name for the entire Theban Necropolis as the Memnonium. [4]

Description

The twin statues depict Amenhotep III (fl. 14th century BC) in a seated position, his hands resting on his knees and his gaze facing eastwards (actually ESE in modern bearings) towards the river. Two shorter figures are carved into the front throne alongside his legs: these are his wife Tiye and mother Mutemwiya. The side panels depict the Nile god Hapi.

Antonio Beato, Colosses de Memnon, 19th century. Brooklyn Museum Antonio Beato, Colosses de Memnon, 19th century.jpg
Antonio Beato, Colosses de Memnon, 19th century. Brooklyn Museum

The statues are made from blocks of quartzite sandstone which was quarried at el-Gabal el-Ahmar (near modern-day Cairo) and transported 675 km (420 mi) overland to Thebes (Luxor). The stones are believed to be too heavy to have been transported upstream on the Nile. The blocks used by later Roman engineers to reconstruct the northern colossus may have come from Edfu (north of Aswan). Including the stone platforms on which they stand – themselves about 4 m (13 ft) – the colossi reach 18 m (60 ft) in height and weigh an estimated 720 tons each. [5] [6] [7] The two figures are about 15 m (50 ft) apart.

Both statues are quite damaged, with the features above the waist virtually unrecognizable. The southern statue comprises a single piece of stone, but the northern figure has a large extensive crack in the lower half and above the waist consists of 5 tiers of stone. These upper levels consist of a different type of sandstone, and are the result of a later reconstruction attempt, which William de Wiveleslie Abney attributed to Septimius Severus. [8] It is believed that originally the two statues were identical to each other, although inscriptions and minor art may have varied.

The original function of the Colossi was to stand guard at the entrance to Amenhotep's memorial temple (or mortuary temple): a massive construct built during the pharaoh's lifetime, where he was worshipped as a god-on-earth both before and after his departure from this world. In its day, this temple complex was the largest and most opulent in Ancient Egypt. Covering a total of 35 hectares (86 acres), even later rivals such as Ramesses II's Ramesseum or Ramesses III's Medinet Habu were unable to match it in area; even the Temple of Karnak, as it stood in Amenhotep's time, was smaller.

Side panel detail showing two flanked relief images of the deity Hapi and, to the right, a sculpture of the royal wife Tiye Side panel of Colossi of Memnon 2015 2.JPG
Side panel detail showing two flanked relief images of the deity Hapi and, to the right, a sculpture of the royal wife Tiye

With the exception of the Colossi, however, very little remains today of Amenhotep's temple. It stood on the edge of the Nile floodplain, and successive annual inundations gnawed away at its foundations – a 1840s lithograph by David Roberts shows the Colossi surrounded by water – and it was not unknown for later rulers to dismantle, purloin, and reuse portions of their predecessors' monuments.

Roman era inscriptions

The statues contain 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin, dated between 20-250CE; these inscriptions allowed modern travellers to connect the statues to the classical Greek and Latin literature. [3] Many of the inscriptions include the name "Memnon".

They were first studied in detail by Jean-Antoine Letronne in his 1831 La statue vocale de Memnon considérée dans ses rapports avec l'Égypte et la Grèce [9] and then catalogued in the second volume (1848) of his Recueil des inscriptions grecques et latines de l'Égypte. [10]

Earthquakes

Soon after its construction the temple was destroyed by an earthquake, recently dated by the Armenian Institute of Seismology to around 1200 BC, which left only the two huge colossi at the entrance still standing. These were further destroyed by an earthquake in 27 BC, after which they were partly reconstructed by the Roman authorities. [11]

The 1200 BC earthquake also opened numerous chasms in the ground which meant that many statues were buried, some in pristine condition. These have been the subject of extensive restoration and excavation conducted by the Armenian/German archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian, who has revealed that the complex consisted of three pylons, each fronted by colossal statues, while at the far end a rectangular Temple complex consisted of a peristyle court surrounded by columns. So far four of the statues have been re-erected, with eight waiting to be re-erected, while some 200 statues or pieces of statues are in the Luxor Museum, some on display, others in store awaiting conservation. [12]

Name

The modern Arabic name is Kom el-Hatan, but it is generally known by the Roman name as the Temple of Memnon. Memnon was a hero of the Trojan War, a King of Ethiopia who led his armies from Africa into Asia Minor to help defend the beleaguered city but was ultimately slain by Achilles. Memnon (whose name means the Steadfast or Resolute [13] ) was said to be the son of Eos, the goddess of dawn. [14] He was associated with colossi built several centuries earlier, because of the reported cry at dawn of the northern statue (see below), which became known as the Colossus of Memnon. Eventually, the entire Theban Necropolis became generally referred to as the Memnonium [15] making him "Ruler of the west" as in the case of the god Osiris who was called chief of the west.

in the 19th century, William de Wiveleslie Abney noted that "(t)he Arabs called these statues 'Shama' and 'Tama', and when speaking of them together gave them the appelation of Sanamât, or the idols." [8]

Sounds

In 27 BCE, a large earthquake reportedly shattered the northern colossus, collapsing it from the waist up and cracking the lower half. Following its rupture, the remaining lower half of this statue was then reputed to "sing" on various occasions – always within an hour or two of sunrise, usually right at dawn. The sound was most often reported in February or March, but this is probably more a reflection of the tourist season rather than any actual pattern. [16]

The earliest report in literature is that of the Greek historian and geographer Strabo, who said that he heard the sound during a visit in 20 BCE, by which time it apparently was already well-known. [17] The description varied; Strabo said it sounded "like a blow", [18] Pausanias compared it to "the string of a lyre" breaking, [19] but it also was described as the striking of brass [20] or whistling. [21] Other ancient sources include Pliny (not from personal experience, but he collected other reports), Pausanias, Tacitus, Philostratus and Juvenal. [16] In addition, the base of the statue is inscribed with about 90 surviving inscriptions of contemporary tourists reporting whether they had heard the sound or not.

The legend of the "Vocal Memnon", the luck that hearing it was reputed to bring, and the reputation of the statue's oracular powers became known outside of Egypt, and a constant stream of visitors, including several Roman emperors, came to marvel at the statues. The last recorded reliable mention of the sound dates from 196. Sometime later in the Roman era, the upper tiers of sandstone were added (the original remains of the top half have never been found); the date of this reconstruction is unknown, but local tradition places it circa 199, [22] and attributes it to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus in an attempt to curry favour with the oracle (it is known that he visited the statue, but did not hear the sound). [23] [ better source needed ]

Various explanations have been offered for the phenomenon; these are of two types: natural or man-made. Strabo himself apparently was too far away to be able to determine its nature: he reported that he could not determine if it came from the pedestal, the shattered upper area, or "the people standing around at the base". If natural, the sound was probably caused by rising temperatures and the evaporation of dew inside the porous rock. [24]

Similar sounds, although much rarer, have been heard from some of the other Egyptian monuments (Karnak is the usual location for more modern reports). Perhaps the most convincing argument against it being the result of human agents is that it did cease, probably due to the added weight of the reconstructed upper tiers. [25]

A few mentions of the sound in the early modern era (late 18th and early 19th centuries) seem to be hoaxes, either by the writers or perhaps by locals perpetuating the phenomenon.[ citation needed ]

The "Vocal Memnon" features prominently in one scene of Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt .

They also show up in Oscar Wilde's fairy tale "The Happy Prince."

They are referenced in Thomas Pynchon's novel V. (1963) as part of a series of "well-kept secrets" including the fact that statues talk.

Modern images

Notable historical images

See also

Related Research Articles

Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to:

Memnon was a king of Ethiopia in Greek mythology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memphis, Egypt</span> Ancient capital of Inebu-hedj, Egypt

Memphis, or Men-nefer, was the ancient capital of Inebu-hedj, the first nome of Lower Egypt that was known as mḥw ("North"). Its ruins are located in the vicinity of the present-day village of Mit Rahina, in markaz (county) Badrashin, Giza, Egypt. This modern name is probably derived from the late Ancient Egyptian name for Memphis mjt-rhnt meaning "Road of the Ram-Headed Sphinxes".

Montu was a falcon-god of war in the ancient Egyptian religion, an embodiment of the conquering vitality of the pharaoh. He was particularly worshipped in Upper Egypt and in the district of Thebes.

[Ramesses II] whom victory was foretold as he came from the womb,
Whom valor was given while in the egg,
Bull firm of heart as he treads the arena,
Godly king going forth like Montu on victory day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karnak</span> Ancient Egyptian temple complex

The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak, comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construction at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic Kingdom, although most of the extant buildings date from the New Kingdom. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut and the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city. The Karnak complex gives its name to the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of El-Karnak, 2.5 kilometres north of Luxor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luxor</span> City in southern Egypt

Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt, which includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. Luxor had a population of 1,333,309 in 2020, with an area of approximately 417 km2 (161 sq mi) and is the capital of the Luxor Governorate. It is among the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amenhotep III</span> Ninth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt

Amenhotep III, also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent or Amenhotep the Great and Hellenized as Amenophis III, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC, or from June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC, after his father Thutmose IV died. Amenhotep was Thutmose's son by a minor wife, Mutemwiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesseum</span> Memorial temple of Ramesses II in Egypt

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II. It is located in the Theban Necropolis in Upper Egypt, on the west of the River Nile, across from the modern city of Luxor. The name – or at least its French form Rhamesséion – was coined by Jean-François Champollion, who visited the ruins of the site in 1829 and first identified the hieroglyphs making up Ramesses's names and titles on the walls. It was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amon.Usermaatra-setepenra was the prenomen of Ramesses II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medinet Habu</span> Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III

Medinet Habu is an archaeological locality situated near the foot of the Theban Hills on the West Bank of the River Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor, Egypt. Although other structures are located within the area and important discoveries have also been made at these sites, the location is today associated almost synonymously with the largest and best preserved site, the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III</span> Eighteenth Dynasty temple built for Amenhotep III

The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, also known as Kom el-Hettân, was built by the main architect Amenhotep, son of Hapu, for Pharaoh Amenhotep III during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. The mortuary temple is located on the Western bank of the Nile river, across from the eastern bank city of Luxor. During its time, the Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III was the largest funerary complex in Thebes that was built. Only parts of the mortuary temple's layout remain, as well as the Colossi of Memnon, which are two large stone statues placed at the entrance measuring 18 meters high. Because the mortuary temple was built relatively close to the river, the annual flooding caused the site to decay at a more rapid rate. New research indicates that a large majority of the destruction on the mortuary temple can be attributed to the effects of an earthquake. It was long speculated that the earthquake occurred around 27 BC; however, investigations into the mortuary temple and surrounding colossi have debunked this time frame and instead have demonstrated it occurred around 1200 BC. Additional earthquakes after the one in 1200 BC have not been ruled out. The Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Project have helped conserve the site as well as possible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theban Necropolis</span> Area in Egypt, west of the Nile near Thebes

The Theban Necropolis is a necropolis on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes (Luxor) in Upper Egypt. It was used for ritual burials for much of the Pharaonic period, especially during the New Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutemwiya</span>

Mutemwiya was a minor wife of the Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh Thutmose IV, and the mother of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Mutemwiya's name means "Mut in the divine barque". While unconfirmed, it has been suggested that she acted as regent during the minority of her son Amenhotep III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amenhotep, son of Hapu</span> Ancient Egyptian priest, scribe, and public official

Amenhotep, son of Hapu was an ancient Egyptian architect, a priest, a herald, a scribe, and a public official, who held a number of offices under Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Karnak Temple complex</span>

The history of the Karnak Temple complex is largely the history of Thebes. The city does not appear to have been of any significance before the Eleventh Dynasty, and any temple building here would have been relatively small and unimportant, with any shrines being dedicated to the early god of Thebes, Montu. The earliest artifact found in the area of the temple is a small, eight-sided column from the Eleventh Dynasty, which mentions Amun-Re. The tomb of Intef II mentions a 'house of Amun', which implies some structure, whether a shrine or a small temple is unknown. The ancient name for Karnak, Ipet-Isut only really refers to the central core structures of the Precinct of Amun-Re, and was in use as early as the 11th Dynasty, again implying the presence of some form of temple before the Middle Kingdom expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone quarries of ancient Egypt</span> Aspect of Egyptian economy

The stone quarries of ancient Egypt once produced quality stone for the construction of decorative monuments such as sculptures and obelisks. These quarries are now recognised archaeological sites. Eighty percent of the ancient quarry sites are in the Nile valley; some of them have disappeared under the waters of Lake Nasser and some others were lost due to modern mining activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Younger Memnon</span> Ancient Egyptian statue

The Younger Memnon is an Ancient Egyptian statue, one of two colossal granite statues from the Ramesseum mortuary temple in Thebes, Upper Egypt. It depicts the Nineteenth Dynasty Pharaoh Ramesses II wearing the Nemes head-dress with a cobra diadem on top. The damaged statue has since been separated from its upper torso and head. These sections can now be found in the British Museum. The remainder of the statue remains in Egypt. It is one of a pair that originally flanked the Ramesseum's doorway. The head of the other statue is still found at the temple.

Julia Balbilla was a Roman noble woman and poet. Whilst in Thebes, touring Egypt as part of the imperial court of Hadrian, she inscribed three epigrams which have survived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colossal red granite statue of Amenhotep III</span>

The colossal red granite statue of Amenhotep III is a granite head of the 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Dating from around 1370 BCE, it was found in the temple enclosure of Mut at Karnak in Upper Egypt. Two parts of the broken colossal statue are known: the head and an arm. Both parts are now in the British Museum.

<i>Colossal statue of Amenhotep III and Tiye</i> Group statue of Egyptian 18th-Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

The colossal statue of Amenhotep III and Tiye is a monolith group statue of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III of the eighteenth dynasty, his Great Royal Wife Tiye, and three of their daughters. It is the largest known dyad ever carved. The statue originally stood in Medinet Habu, Western Thebes; today it is the centerpiece of the main hall of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Marcus Herennius Faustus was a Roman senator, who was active during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of March of April 121 with Quintus Pomponius Marcellus as his colleague.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Luxor, Egypt". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  2. ↑ Wilfong, T.; S. Sidebotham; J. Keenan; DARMC; R. Talbert; S. Gillies; T. Elliott; J. Becker. "Places: 786066 (Memnon Colossi)". Pleiades. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Rosenmeyer, P.A. (2018). The Language of Ruins: Greek and Latin Inscriptions on the Memnon Colossus. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-062632-7 . Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  4. ↑ Adam Łukaszewicz, MEMNON, KING OF EGYPT, The Journal of Juristic Papyrology, Vol. XXV, 1995, pp. 131-146: "Are two different etymologies of Memnonia and Memnon possible in the same area? We are approaching again the very essence of the problem. Is the name of Memnonia a derivative of the appellation of the vocal colossus or is that name independent from the name of Memnon applied to the statue of Amenhotep III? Consequently, the question is whether there was an Egyptian Memnon different from Amenhotep III or was the name of Nebmaatre the unique source of the Memnonian place-names in western Thebes?"
  5. ↑ R. F. Heizer; F. Stross; T. R. Hester; A. Albee; I. Perlman; F. Asaro; H. Bowman (1973-12-21). "The Colossi of Memnon Revisited". Science. Science magazine. 182 (4118): 1219–1225. Bibcode:1973Sci...182.1219H. doi:10.1126/science.182.4118.1219. PMID   17811309. S2CID   39052980.
  6. ↑ "The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World", edited by Chris Scarre (1999) Thames & Hudson, London
  7. ↑ Time Life Lost Civilizations series: Ramses II: Magnificence on the Nile (1993)
  8. 1 2 Thebes and its five greater temples , by William de Wiveleslie Abney; published 1876 by Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington; archived at the University of Heidelberg
  9. ↑ Letronne, A.J. (1833). La statue vocale de Memnon considérée dans ses rapports avec l'Égypte et la Grèce: étude historique faisant suite aux recherches pour servir à l'histoire de l'Égypte pendant la domination des grecs et des romains (in French). Imprimerie royale. Also plates available here
  10. ↑ Recueil des inscriptions grecques et latines de l'Égypte, volume 2, planches
  11. ↑ Archaeoseismological studies at the temple of Amenhotep III, Luxor, Egypt, Arkadi Karakhanyan et al, The Geological Society of America Special Paper 471, 2010
  12. ↑ Sourouzian, H. and Lawler, A.; Unearthing Egypt's Greatest Temple, Smithsonian Magazine 38, 46–53.
  13. ↑ Liddell-Scott-Jones Greek-English Lexicon
  14. ↑ Godwin, William (1876). Lives of the Necromancers. London, F. J. Mason. p.  32.
  15. ↑ Strabo, Rerum Geographicarum. XVII 42-46
  16. 1 2 Godwin 1876, p. 32.
  17. ↑ I too, when I was present at the places with Aelius Gallus and his crowd of associates, both friends and soldiers, heard the noise at about the first hour, but whether it came from the base or from the colossus, or whether the noise was made on purpose by one of the men who were standing all round and near to the base, I am unable positively to assert; for on account of the uncertainty of the cause I am induced to believe anything rather than that the sound issued from stones thus fixed. Strabo, Rerum Geographicarum. XVII 1.46
  18. ↑ Strabo, Rerum Geographicarum. XVII, 561
  19. ↑ Pausania, Attica. I, XLII, 3.
  20. ↑ Tacito, Annales. II, 61
  21. ↑ Plinio, Naturalis Historiae. XXXVI, VII, 10-12.
  22. ↑ Septimius Severus https://www.worldhistory.org/Septimius_Severus/
  23. ↑ Colossi of Memnon https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/colossi-of-memnon
  24. ↑ Colossi of Memnon: View of the northern colossi https://curate.nd.edu/show/b8515m63c0t/
  25. ↑ Colossi of Memnon § The Singing Statue https://www.worldhistory.org/Colossi_of_Memnon/

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.