Dr. Salah Al-Masakh Ahmed, Director of the Karnak Temples, revealed that the project of restoring the southern and northern row of the Rams Road was due to the transfer of 4 statues of rams to Tahrir Square, as the 4 rams were transferred from the southern row, which consists of 33 statues of rams, and that they were not apparent. To the public at all, because of the mud-brick mountain in front of them, and during their transportation, we were surprised that they were located on bases of red bricks, cement and gypsum, in a completely dilapidated form, which had been a restoration project since 1970, as part of the Karnak Temples restoration project, which was inaugurated in 197 AD.
Salah al-Masakh explained, in exclusive statements to "The Seventh Day," that the 29 rams, who are now in the southern row, have been restored and excavated under their bases, and the statues belong to King Horemheb, the last king of the 18th family, and there are chances that the rams project has been completed. In the era of King Ramses II, and their original place in front of the courtyard was the second pylon now, which was at that time the first edifice, and the rams were moved during the reign of the 25th Dynasty, and they were moved to their place where they are now.
He pointed out that the restoration work also included the northern row, which includes 19 statues of other rams, meaning that the total of 48 rams are in the restoration project and excavations, and the reason for the restoration project was the work of transferring the 4 rams to Tahrir Square, which was completely completed from the southern row after Their condition was very bad and difficult.
Dr. Salah al-Masakh added that the weight of the statue ranges between 5 and 7 tons, and its length reaches 3 meters and 70 cm, and its width is a meter and a quarter, and all the statues are a body of a lion with a ram's head and embrace the statue of Ramses II, the "symbol of protection", and the ram itself expresses the idol Amun And whose restoration works were completed by pure Egyptian hands at the Karnak Inspection Department, Engineering Department and Restoration Department, as well as a number of workers specialized in lifting stones, and we were able to return the original colors of the rams' statues and see the cartridges engraved on them clearly.
As for the northern side, which includes 19 statues, Dr. Salah Al Masakh said that we started two weeks ago in the restoration project, and it is expected that it will be completed within 4 months, which will be a gift to the world in general and the Egyptians in particular, in a manner befitting with the Egyptian antiquities and civilization. Old.
Sun, Apr. 25, 2021
