Colossi Of Memnon Guarded Temple Of Pharaoh Amenhotep III And Curious Sound Phenomenon

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Egyptian architects did not sign their buildings, so their impressive achievements or the remains of them, as we see them today can only be identified from their biographies. These ancient sources recount their great works, and titles such as 'Royal Master Builder,' 'Chief Royal Master of Building Works,' 'Overseer of Constructions,' to name a few.

The two colossal statues usually referred to as the "Colossi of Memnon" are spectacular monuments of the western plain of Thebes in Upper Egypt.

"The impressive dimensions of the colossi, the quality of the stone, the technology involved in moving them to their present location, and the desire to determine the exact sources of the stone have been the primary reasons for continued interest in the statues." ¹

The location of the quarry sources, however, the weights and dimensions of the gigantic statues
have been a subject of long-lasting discussions and disagreement. Ancient Egyptian texts dated to the Old Kingdom confirm that these masters of architecture were indeed responsible for creating the designs and their technical execution.

Amenhotep, son of Hapu, a priest, a scribe, and a public official, and first of all, an ancient, highly skilled Egyptian architect, was also among them. Under Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, he was responsible for the once spectacular colossi of Memnon and other building works at Karnak.

Colossi of Memnon, Egypt. Credit: Adobe Stock - erichon

Amenhotep III's mortuary temple is located on the Western bank of the Nile River, across from the Eastern bank city of Luxor, and originally is considered the largest temple ever erected in Egypt. The temple was also known as the "house of millions of years', and was surrounded by an enclosure wall measuring 700 x 550 m, 8.5 m thick.  Only a small amount of debris is visible today.

About a quarter of a mile behind the Colossi monuments stands a huge stele. Around are scattered fragments of various sculptures and monuments. There was an avenue of sphinxes, countless statues of Sekhmet, stelae, alabaster sphinxes with crocodile tails, and sandstone sphinxes with Anubis heads, and a life-size alabaster statue of a hippopotamus. Also within the enclosure wall were additional brick buildings, gardens, and lakes, as well as a temple to Sokar.

Colossi Of Memnon – Protectors Of The Pharaonic Temple

For the last 3,400 years, since 1350 BC, two gigantic stone statues known as the Colossi of Memnon have been guarding Pharaoh Amenhotep III's temple.  He was worshiped as a god-on-earth both before and after his departure from this world.

The nearly 2-meter tall alabaster statue of Amenhotep III's daughter, dating from approximately 1350 B.C., discovered outside the southern city of Luxor. Credit: AP Photo/Egypt's Antiquities Ministry

Two seated quartzite massive statues, each about 20 meters high, resemble Amenhotep III himself, are wearing a head-doth and crown (the latter is now lost), in front of the 1st pylon of Amenhotep Ill's mortuary temple at Thebes. Standing beside the legs of the king are the figures of Queens Tiye and Mutemwiya. One of the two, the southern statue, is still best preserved.

The weight of the monuments, excluding the separate bases, is estimated at 800 tones. According to inscriptions, both statues came from the quartzite quarries at Gebel el-Ahmar. However, it is not confirmed by petrographic examination that rather indicates their Aswan origin.

However, these are not the only massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep! In 2014, archaeologists unearthed two more figures of the pharaoh that join a pair of already famous giants at the temple known as the Colossi of Memnon - two 16-meter-high images of King Amenhotep III seated on his throne, also made of quartzite.

Strabo, a Greek historian and geographer of the 1st century recorded an earthquake in 27 BC that shattered the northern Colossus of Memnon, causing the upper section to fall away.

Unexplained Sound Coming From The Statue

It was reported that for some reason, after it was damaged, the more eastern of the two statues would emit strange sounds early in the morning, possibly related to the heat of the Sun.

Ancient Greeks tried to explain the sound and looked to the story of Memnon by Homer, and found out that 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 besieged city but unfortunately, he was ultimately killed by Achilles.

Mentioned by Strabo, Pliny the elder, and others, the sound phenomenon was recorded by many ear-witnesses on the lower part of the colossus itself in inscriptions that may be seen in the present day. The statue's damage created a fissure in the rock, which made it "sing" or "whistle" every morning at dawn. Was it caused by the evaporation of dew inside the porous rock?

Amenhotep III wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, the nemes with cobra and the ceremonial beard. source

Who knows for sure, but the sounds led to the birth of a legend.

Legend Of "Vocal Memnon"

The phenomenon was known to the Romans of the early empire as "The Vocal Memnon" and formed one of the chief attractions which attracted travelers to Egypt, from the fact that at that time, for two centuries or perhaps more. Many wanted to hear a curious musical sound, which the statue emitted in the early morning, and many regarded it as a miracle.

According to the legend, hearing the sound brought good luck, and it was believed that the statue was an oracle. The fame spread outside of Egypt, and a large number of visitors, including several Roman Emperors, traveled to experience the marvel of the statue.

The strange acoustic phenomenon later ceased in the Roman era, when the upper tiers of sandstone were added. After the restoration of the statue under Septimus Severus, it is said the sound vanished.

The temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III is destroyed today. Floodwaters first ruined it, and then, the structure's stone material was used for other needs. Both statues are damaged as well, lacking their faces and tall royal crowns.

Yet, these ancient statues are still awe-inspiring, and their presence attests to our ancestors' greatness.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on July 10, 2021

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