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Relic of Powerful Pharaoh Unearthed in Egypt

   VOA News 02 October 2010
   In  this  undated  hand  out picture released, 02 Oct 2010, by Egypt's
   superme  council of antiquities, the unearthed double limestone statue
   of Ahmenhotep III, one of the most powerful pharaohs, who ruled nearly
   3,400 years ago, was discovered in Kom el-Hitta

Photo: AP

   In  this  undated  hand  out picture released, 02 Oct 2010, by Egypt's
   superme  council of antiquities, the unearthed double limestone statue
   of  Ahmenhotep  III  was  discovered in Kom el-Hittan, the site of the
   temple of Amenhotep III

   Archaeologists   in   Egypt   have  unearthed  part  of  a  more  than
   3,000-year-old statue of the pharaoh believed to be the grandfather of
   the famed King Tut (Tutankhamun).
   Egyptian  antiquities  chief  Zahi Hawass says the statue of Amenhotep
   III  was  discovered at the site of his temple in the southern city of
   Luxor.   Hawass  said  Saturday the relic shows Amenhotep seated on a
   throne, accompanied by the deity Amun.
   Archeologists believe the full statue is about three meters tall.
   Pharaoh  Amenhotep  III  ruled  the Egyptian empire at the peak of its
   civilization  from  about 1390 to 1350 BC.  The empire stretched from
   present-day northern Sudan to Syria.
   His  grandson, King Tut, drew worldwide attention after archaeologists
   discovered  his  tomb  filled  with  stunning artifacts in 1922.  The
   teenage Tut died in 1324 BC.
   In  February,  archaeologists  announced  the  discovery  of a massive
   granite head depicting Amenhotep III.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

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