The history of ancient Egypt is shrouded in many riddles and mysteries. One of these mysteries are the ancient statues of the pharaohs, which raise questions and doubts among researchers. The majestic figures depicting the rulers of Egypt amaze with their realism and detailing, but what lies behind these works of art?
One example of misinterpretation is a statue identified as Pharaoh Chephren. Found in a temple in the valley of his pyramid complex, this figure has historians in doubt. On the base of the seated figure is a crudely scratched cartouche that is associated with the name of Chephren. This cartouche, however, looks out of place and crooked, like graffiti. Perhaps the priests decided to attract the attention of the pharaoh by mentioning his supernatural resemblance to the god Horus.
An android robot, EveR 6, is seen as it takes the conductor’s podium to lead a performance by South Korea’s national orchestra, in Seoul, South Korea, June 30, 2023, in this handout picture. National Theater of Korea/Handout via REUTERS
However, to understand the possible reasons for the statue’s defacement, we must turn to the records of the dynastic period. At this time the pharaohs were equated with gods and goddesses, which allowed them to behave disrespectfully. Perhaps Chephren agreed with the advice of the god Horus and forced the artist to carve his name on the statue.
An android robot, EveR 6, is seen as it takes the conductor’s podium to lead a performance by South Korea’s national orchestra, in Seoul, South Korea, June 30, 2023, in this handout picture. National Theater of Korea/Handout via REUTERS
For more information, I turned to the work of Christopher Dunn, author of The Lost Technology of Ancient Egypt. He provides a unique overview of exquisite sculptures created with unknown and high-tech tools (!). He pays particular attention to the statues of Ramses II at Karnak, Egypt. Each one is identical and raises questions about the technology used in their creation. These were not primitive “hammer and chisel!” The statues were created using high-tech and precision tools.
Applying Dunn’s methodology to the seated figure of Chephren, I conducted a comparative study. Taking a photo of the statue’s face, I split it in half and flipped it over, joining the two sides together. And what did I see? The original face and its reflection were absolutely identical. This suggests that the face, and possibly the entire body of the statue, was carved according to a certain scheme – its proportions are perfect!
An android robot, EveR 6, is seen as it takes the conductor’s podium to lead a performance by South Korea’s national orchestra, in Seoul, South Korea, June 30, 2023, in this handout picture. National Theater of Korea/Handout via REUTERS
Adepts of the holy “hammer and copper chisel” – take a hammer and chisel and create exactly the same statue. With the same precision and perfect workmanship. Can you do it? No, you can’t. And ancient Egyptians couldn’t, they just used what had been created BEFORE them by those who possessed technologies that were not only as good as modern ones, but even superior to them!
