CAIRO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim Ali has announced the discovery of 14 ancient stone statues for Goddess Sekhmet in Luxor governorate, official news agency MENA reported Monday.
The statues, made from black granite, were unveiled by a German excavation team in the temple of King Amenhotep III, who governed Egypt from 1410 B.C. to 1372 B.C., MENA quoted Ali as saying in a press conference.
"For the role of Sekhmet in the reign of Amenhotep III as the goddess of war and destruction, the king was keen to establish dozens of statues to resemble her," Ali said.
The statues were transferred immediately for security reasons to another place in preparation for a restoration process, the official added in a statement.
Mansour Boraik, field director of excavations in Luxor, said all the discovered statues, 2 meters high each, incarnate an enthroned goddess in a human body and lioness head.
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