This great discovery was made possible only through the active support and professional cooperation with the inspectorate of Kom Ombo, under General Director Mr. Abd el Menum, and the inspectorate of Aswan, under General Director Mr. Nasr Salama, and all their fantastic and hard working inspectors assigned to the project! Also, no work could have been completed without the entire Silsila team, with extremely hard-working archaeologists, dedicated Egyptologists, assistants and volunteers. Above and beyond the discovery is really the result of one man's dedication and understanding of the landscape and architecture - John Ward - who was convinced there was something hiding behind the Nile grass and spoil... Thank you all!
The official press release:
Ministry of Antiquities
Press Office
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Six New Kingdom Statues Found in Aswan
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Antiquities Minister Dr. Mamdouh Eldamaty announced today the
discovery of 6 rock cut statues inside the chapels 30 and 31
in Gebel Elselsela Area- North Aswan. The discovery was made
during the excavation works performed by Lund University
Mission - Sweden headed by Maria Nilsson and John
Ward.
Eldamaty said that this is an important discovery because Gebel
Elselsela was subjected to an earthquake in ancient times
beside the erosion effects which made it completely covered
with huge blocks, a situation that lead "Caminos" an Egyptologist
to report Chapel 30 as totally demolished. However, the mission
succeeded in terminating the cleaning and survey works inside
the two chapels and uncover the statues.
On the other hand, Dr. Mahmoud Afifi, Head of the Ancient
Egyptian Antiquities said that the six statues date back to
the New Kingdom Era, two of them were found at the rear of
chapel 30 and they are the statues of the tomb owner and
his wife seated on a chair. The tomb owner is represented
in the Osirian position, his arms crossed over his chest
and wearing a shoulder length hair wig. The wife on the
other hand is represented putting her left arm on her
husband's shoulder while her left arm on her chest.
The other four statues, added Afifi, were found at the rear
of chapel 31 and they belong to "neferkhewe", Overseer of
the Foreign Lands during the reign of "Thutmosis III", his
wife, his daughter and son.
Finally, General Manager of Aswan Archaeological Area, Nasr
Salama said that the Swedish Mission which started its work
in 2012 will continue its excavation works in the area trying
to discover more inside the 32 chapels of Gelbel Elselsela,
emphasizing the importance of this area in particular because
it was where the blocks used in building the temples were
cut from.
© Ministry of Antiquities, Press Office
Wrote Asmaa Mostafa
Translated by: Eman Hossni
