Description
The statues were divided into three categories based on size, the largest of which were 12.75 metres (41.83 feet) tall and the smallest, 8.55 metres (28.05 feet).Winfield Smith, Ray and Donald B. Redford. ''The Akhenaten Temple Project, Vol. 1: Initial Discoveries''. Warminster Aris & Phillipps, 1976 The pharaoh is depicted with a distorted physique not present elsewhere in the artwork of ancient Egypt. He is portrayed with a protruding stomach, thin arms, and exaggerated facial features, such as a long nose, hanging chin and thick lips.Aldred, Cyril. ''Akhenaten: King of Egypt''. London: Thames and Hudson, 1988 One statue in particular has been the subject of much debate as it represents the king apparently nude and lacking genitals.Aldred, Cyril. ''Akhenaten Pharaoh of Egypt: A New Study''. London: Thames and Hudson, 1968 There are various theories about the destruction of the statues, one of which suggests that his elder coregent, Amenhotep III, had the statues dismantled and covered up.Reeves, C.N. ''Akhenaten: Egypt’s False Prophet''. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2001 A second theory suggests that Akhenaten himself had the statues torn down with a change of planning in the construction of the Aten temple.Discovery
The colossi of Akhenaten were discovered accidentally in 1925 while a drainage ditch was being dug east of the enclosure wall of the Great Temple of Amun. The sandstone statues were inscribed with the name Amenhotep IV, and were found fallen prostrate on the ground. Henri Chevrier, the chief inspector of antiquities at Karnak, became interested in the site and spent the next twenty-five years periodically excavating the site in hopes of uncovering more. Chevrier discovered the foundations of a wall angled southwest and twenty-eight stone bases, which he assumed were the pedestals of the fallen statues.Significance to Egyptian art
Traditionally, pharaohs are depicted idealistically in Egyptian art – heroic and robust. The departure from cultural norms that occur with the colossi of Akhenaten, therefore, has sparked numerous debates among scholars. It is very unlikely that an artist would have voluntarily produced such an image of the king in such a different style without it being commissioned by the pharaoh himself. Some scholars characterize the style of art during the reign of Akhenaten as ‘expressionistic’ and find a relation between representations such as the colossi and the religious revolution of the time, which were supported by Akhenaten. Although the pharaoh, and in some instances, other members of the Royal Family, are depicted in unorthodox ways, he did not alter standard practices of Egyptian art outside of depictions of the human body and depicted non-royals in the classical style.Conflicting theories
The mystery behind the colossal statues of Akhenaten at East Karnak has led to numerous interpretations of the material. One theory regarding the purpose of the statues suggests that the pharaoh wished to separate himself from ordinary people and associate him solely with divinity and the Royal Family. Another theory suggests that Akhenaten was depicted in his true form, claiming that he suffered from a disease that caused the disfigurations. Several pathologists have studied the abnormalities of the statues’ physical attributes. One resulting diagnosis is that Akhenaten suffered from a disorder of the endocrine system called Froehlich's syndrome. However, this theory has been debunked due to the facts that most who suffer from this disease are mentally retarded and unable to sire children, both of which are side effects Akhenaten did not appear to have. Another related theory is that Akhenaten may have suffered from a rare genetic disorder known asSee also
*References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colossal Statues Of Akhenaten At East Karnak Colossal statues in Egypt Cultural depictions of Akhenaten Karnak temple complex