The Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III.

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

The statues are made from blocks of quartzite sandstone which was stone quarried near modern-day Cairo and transported 420 miles overland to Thebes. Including the stone platforms on which they stand (about 4 meters themselves), the colossi reach a towering 18 metres (approx. 60 ft) in height and weigh an estimated 700 tons each. The two figures are about 50 feet apart.

Both statues are quite damaged, with the features above the waist virtually unrecognizable.

The original function of the Colossi was to stand guard at the entrance to Amenhotep’s mortuary temple, a massive cult center 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 Egypt.

With the exception of the Colossi, however, very little remains today of Amenhotep’s temple.

What about the name 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. The name Memnon means “Ruler of the Dawn”, and was probably applied to the colossi because of the reported cry at dawn of one of the statues. Eventually, the entire Theban Necropolis became generally referred to as the Memnonium.

In 27 BC, a large earthquake reportedly shattered the eastern 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.

Related Video: Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III

Source: Wikipedia under a Creative Common License

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