Polish-Egyptian team brings lost statues of Hatshepsut Temple back to life with stunning reconstruction
The Polish-Egyptian team has spent decades working at the site. (Maciej Jawornicki, CAŚ UW)
A Polish-Egyptian team of archaeologists and conservationists has completed the reconstruction of more than 20 sculptures at the iconic Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Egypt, one of the country's most visited archaeological sites.
The restored sculptures include sphinxes and Osirian statues—depictions of the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut as the god Osiris—which are among the most photographed monuments in Egypt.
"These statues, reconstructed by a member of our expedition, sculptor Wojciech Myjak, are today not only the most recognizable element of the Hatshepsut Temple but also a symbol of tourism on the Nile," said Dr. Patryk Chudzik, an archaeologist from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, in remarks to the Polish Press Agency.
The Temple of Hatshepsut, located at Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile, was built in the 15th century BC. It is widely considered one of the greatest achievements of ancient Egyptian architecture. Nestled at the base of dramatic cliffs in the royal necropolis, the temple draws millions of visitors each year.
The Polish-Egyptian team has spent decades working at the site. During recent excavations, they uncovered additional fragments of statues and pieced them together to recreate the likeness of one of Egypt's most famous rulers.
"These statues, reconstructed by a member of our expedition, sculptor Wojciech Myjak, are today not only the most recognizable element of the Hatshepsut Temple but also a symbol of tourism on the Nile," said Dr. Patryk Chudzik, an archaeologist from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, in remarks to the Polish Press Agency.
The Temple of Hatshepsut, located at Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile, was built in the 15th century BC. It is widely considered one of the greatest achievements of ancient Egyptian architecture. Nestled at the base of dramatic cliffs in the royal necropolis, the temple draws millions of visitors each year.
The Polish-Egyptian team has spent decades working at the site. During recent excavations, they uncovered additional fragments of statues and pieced them together to recreate the likeness of one of Egypt's most famous rulers.
"It was only modern archaeological excavations that led to the discovery of many fragments of these sculptures," Chudzik said. "When the Polish-Egyptian expedition from the Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw began its work in the Temple of Hatshepsut in 1961, further fragments of sculptures were discovered. Such discoveries are still made today when we conduct excavations in various parts of the temple."
Chudzik explained the team's process: "These fragments are then documented and their original location in the statues is analyzed. Once the reconstruction project is prepared, we then proceed to connect the selected fragments."
The original statues were deliberately destroyed following Hatshepsut's death. Roughly two decades later, her stepson and successor, Pharaoh Thutmose III, ordered the systematic erasure of her legacy as a female ruler. Statues were shattered and reliefs defaced.
The project is part of the long-running work of the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological and Conservation Expedition, carried out in partnership with the University of Warsaw's Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Chudzik explained the team's process: "These fragments are then documented and their original location in the statues is analyzed. Once the reconstruction project is prepared, we then proceed to connect the selected fragments."
The original statues were deliberately destroyed following Hatshepsut's death. Roughly two decades later, her stepson and successor, Pharaoh Thutmose III, ordered the systematic erasure of her legacy as a female ruler. Statues were shattered and reliefs defaced.
The project is part of the long-running work of the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological and Conservation Expedition, carried out in partnership with the University of Warsaw's Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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