The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) is removing remains of six statues of the goddess Hathor from their permanent location at Serabit El-Khadim temple located at Abu Zeneima in South Sinai. The statues are being moved to the Qantara Sharq galleries for restoration.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the SCA, announced that one of these statues had gone missing from its original location inside the temple, but thankfully it was later found inside one of the turquoise mines in the area. Hawass stated that these statues will be included in the collection of the Sharm El-Sheikh National Museum, which will be completed next year.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud, Head of the Central Administration of Lower Egypt Antiquities, said that the statues are made of limestone and weigh 250 kilos a piece.
The Serabit Al-Khadim temple is a very important pharaonic religious center where the goddess Hathor was worshipped. The temple was built in the Twelfth Dynasty and is located in an area opposite a number of turquoise mines. A group of four meter tall engraved memorials, each weighing five tons, also surround the temple.
The temple is located 1,100 meters above sea level and requires a three hour climb through the mountains to reach it. The temple is guarded 24 hours a day by Bedouin guards, as well as ten archaeological inspectors. It is only because of the high level of security at the site that the stolen statue was so quickly recovered.
Dr. Hawass said that the temple is currently undergoing a comprehensive restoration and development program in order to conserve the temple and create an easier route for tourists to gain access to the site.
Reference : drhawass.com
Posted by : Yasmine Aladdin
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955.