Skywizard
25th October 2017, 00:50
The wooden head was discovered during excavations at the necropolis Saqqara
It's thought to depict 6th dynasty queen Ankhesenpepi II, mother of King Pepi II
Experts say it is of nearly human proportions, though with a long, 30cm neck
The head is in poor condition, they say, and will need to undergo restoration
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the life-sized head of an ancient wooden statue, thought to depict a queen who ruled the country more than 4,000 years ago.
The discovery, revealed today by the Antiquities Ministry, was made during excavations in the vast Saqqara burial ground near the Pyramids of Giza.
Experts suspect the head was modeled after Ankhesenpepi II – the mother of King Pepi II, who inherited the throne at the age of six.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2017/10/18/12/wire-1554975-1508327075-232_634x448.jpg
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the life-sized head of an ancient
wooden statue, thought to depict a queen who ruled the country more
than 4,000 years ago. It was crafted to nearly human proportions, though
with a long neck that stretched nearly 30 centimeters.
The head was discovered at the ancient necropolis during work led by a French-Swiss team from Geneva University.
According to excavation leader Professor Philip Collombert, the artifact was found in a disturbed layer east of the queen’s pyramid, near where the team had discovered the pyramidion, or the capstone, just days earlier.
It was crafted to nearly human proportions, though with a long neck that stretched about 30 centimeters.
The ears are adorned with wooden earrings, according to the researchers.
But, the ancient artifact is said to be in poor condition, and will have to undergo restoration.
The head is likely a representation of the sixth dynasty queen Ankhesenpepi II, who ruled Egypt as regent during the early years of King Pepi II’s reign.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/4575BF2000000578-4992138-image-a-14_1508343250749.jpg
The head was discovered at the ancient necropolis during work led by a
French-Swiss team from Geneva University. Experts suspect it was
modeled after Ankhesenpepi II – the mother of King Pepi II of the 6th
dynasty, who ascended to the throne at the age of six.
Ankhesenpepi II was the wife of King Pepi I – and, when he died, she married the son he fathered with her sister, Merenre, also known as Ankhesenpepi I.
After Merenre died, Pepi II inherited the throne.
Being just 6 years old at the time, however, he was too young to rule.
So, the queen Ankhesenpepi II became the effective ruler of the country until he was of age.
At the site, the archaeologists are hoping to discover the queen’s satellite pyramid, along with the rest of the funerary complex and collection.
‘It’s a promising area that could reveal more of its secrets soon,’ said Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, who announced the discovery.
Earlier in October, archaeologists at the same dig uncovered part of an obelisk made of pink granite that belongs to the same dynasty.
An inscription on the side reveals the name of Queen Ankhnespepy II, among the beginning of other titles.
According to the experts, Ankhesenpepi II was an ‘important queen.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608E700000578-4992138-image-m-19_1508343296136.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608CD00000578-4992138-image-a-20_1508343302083.jpg
According to excavation leader Professor Philip Collombert, the artifact
was found in a disturbed layer east of the queen’s pyramid, near where
the team had discovered the pyramidion (pictured), or the capstone, just
days earlier.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608C400000578-4992138-Earlier_in_October_archaeologists_at_the_same_dig_uncovered_part-a-28_1508343740811.jpg
Earlier in October, archaeologists at the same dig uncovered part of an
obelisk made of pink granite that belongs to the same dynasty.
‘It is probably the reason why her pyramid is so big, and [she is] the first queen to have pyramid texts inscribed into her pyramid,’ the Ministry explains.
The part of the obelisk, or pyramidion, discovered at the site measures roughly 2.5 meters, making it the biggest chunk of an obelisk from the Old Kingdom to be discovered yet.
Small markings at the top suggest it was once covered with metal slabs, most likely of copper or golden foil, so it would glitter in the sun.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4992138/In-Egypt-archaeologists-4-000-year-old-statue.html
http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/p/peace/graphics-peace-740037.gifpeace...
It's thought to depict 6th dynasty queen Ankhesenpepi II, mother of King Pepi II
Experts say it is of nearly human proportions, though with a long, 30cm neck
The head is in poor condition, they say, and will need to undergo restoration
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the life-sized head of an ancient wooden statue, thought to depict a queen who ruled the country more than 4,000 years ago.
The discovery, revealed today by the Antiquities Ministry, was made during excavations in the vast Saqqara burial ground near the Pyramids of Giza.
Experts suspect the head was modeled after Ankhesenpepi II – the mother of King Pepi II, who inherited the throne at the age of six.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2017/10/18/12/wire-1554975-1508327075-232_634x448.jpg
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the life-sized head of an ancient
wooden statue, thought to depict a queen who ruled the country more
than 4,000 years ago. It was crafted to nearly human proportions, though
with a long neck that stretched nearly 30 centimeters.
The head was discovered at the ancient necropolis during work led by a French-Swiss team from Geneva University.
According to excavation leader Professor Philip Collombert, the artifact was found in a disturbed layer east of the queen’s pyramid, near where the team had discovered the pyramidion, or the capstone, just days earlier.
It was crafted to nearly human proportions, though with a long neck that stretched about 30 centimeters.
The ears are adorned with wooden earrings, according to the researchers.
But, the ancient artifact is said to be in poor condition, and will have to undergo restoration.
The head is likely a representation of the sixth dynasty queen Ankhesenpepi II, who ruled Egypt as regent during the early years of King Pepi II’s reign.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/4575BF2000000578-4992138-image-a-14_1508343250749.jpg
The head was discovered at the ancient necropolis during work led by a
French-Swiss team from Geneva University. Experts suspect it was
modeled after Ankhesenpepi II – the mother of King Pepi II of the 6th
dynasty, who ascended to the throne at the age of six.
Ankhesenpepi II was the wife of King Pepi I – and, when he died, she married the son he fathered with her sister, Merenre, also known as Ankhesenpepi I.
After Merenre died, Pepi II inherited the throne.
Being just 6 years old at the time, however, he was too young to rule.
So, the queen Ankhesenpepi II became the effective ruler of the country until he was of age.
At the site, the archaeologists are hoping to discover the queen’s satellite pyramid, along with the rest of the funerary complex and collection.
‘It’s a promising area that could reveal more of its secrets soon,’ said Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, who announced the discovery.
Earlier in October, archaeologists at the same dig uncovered part of an obelisk made of pink granite that belongs to the same dynasty.
An inscription on the side reveals the name of Queen Ankhnespepy II, among the beginning of other titles.
According to the experts, Ankhesenpepi II was an ‘important queen.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608E700000578-4992138-image-m-19_1508343296136.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608CD00000578-4992138-image-a-20_1508343302083.jpg
According to excavation leader Professor Philip Collombert, the artifact
was found in a disturbed layer east of the queen’s pyramid, near where
the team had discovered the pyramidion (pictured), or the capstone, just
days earlier.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/18/17/457608C400000578-4992138-Earlier_in_October_archaeologists_at_the_same_dig_uncovered_part-a-28_1508343740811.jpg
Earlier in October, archaeologists at the same dig uncovered part of an
obelisk made of pink granite that belongs to the same dynasty.
‘It is probably the reason why her pyramid is so big, and [she is] the first queen to have pyramid texts inscribed into her pyramid,’ the Ministry explains.
The part of the obelisk, or pyramidion, discovered at the site measures roughly 2.5 meters, making it the biggest chunk of an obelisk from the Old Kingdom to be discovered yet.
Small markings at the top suggest it was once covered with metal slabs, most likely of copper or golden foil, so it would glitter in the sun.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4992138/In-Egypt-archaeologists-4-000-year-old-statue.html
http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/p/peace/graphics-peace-740037.gifpeace...