I have long been puzzled and intrigued by both megalithic construction and ancient technology. I experienced both on my recent visit to London's British Museum!

The Colossal Red Granite Statue of Amenhotep III

• It was acquired by the British Museum in 1823
• This broken statue was discovered at the temple enclosure of Mut at Karnak in 1817
• The only pieces remaining of what was to believed a complete statue are the head and the left arm 
• The head is 2.9m (9.5 feet) high and is carved showing the Pschent or double crown of upper and lower Egypt
• The arm is 3.30 meter (10.82 feet) and is depicted showing a clenched fist

This is the 3.30 meter (10.82 feet) arm of Amenhotep III which archaeologists date from around 1370 BC!

The Quality of The Craftsmanship is Mind Blowing!

Upon close examination of the arm and fist you are immediately struck by its overpowering enormity and the ultra high polish that has been obtained with the pink granite!

The head is equally impressive for its sweeping stylized curves and amazing symmetry!

The colossal head is 2.9m (9.5 feet) high and as beautifully elegant as it is overpowering!

How Big And Heavy Was The Complete Statue?

Oddly enough, in my research, I couldn't find any data on the weight of these two pieces displayed or on the estimated height of the complete statue. 

I have made my own rough calculations and extrapolations based on the known facts i.e. the known lengths of the head and arm and the weight of 1 cubic meter of granite being 2.72 tons.

My Estimated Height For The Full Statue: 7.3m (23.95 feet)!

My Rough Estimate For The Weight of The Head: 7.8 tons (over 17,000 pounds) That's the weight of three average sized cars. Just for the head!

How Did They Possibly Cut, Polish And Move That?

Granite is a very hard stone ranking at 6.5 on the The Measurement of Hardness Scale with Marble being a 4 and Diamond topping the list at 10.

Mainstream archaeologists teach that stone in this period of history was cut, shaped and polished using hammering stones and copper chisels. Does that seem reasonable to you? How long would it take?

Just moving or transporting the head or arm on their own is a challenge today. How did they possibly move complete statues back in ancient times? 

What About You?

• Do you find these pieces to be mind boggling?
• Are you fascinated by megalithic structures?
• Would you like to travel back in time and see how they did it? 

 Until next time,  

 
@kus-knee (The Old Dog)