Antiquities Minister Dr. Mamdouh Eldamaty announced today the discovery of 6 rock cut statues inside the chapels 30 and 31 in Gebel Elselsela Area- North Aswan. The discovery was made during the excavation works performed by Lund University Mission - Sweden headed by Dr. Maria Nilsson and Dr. John Ward.

Eldamaty said that this is an important discovery because Gebel Elselsela was subjected to an earthquake in ancient times beside the erosion effects which made it completely covered with huge blocks, a situation that lead "Caminos" an Egyptologist to report Chapel 30 as totally demolished. However, the mission succeeded in terminating the cleaning and survey works inside the two chapels and uncover the statues.

On the other hand, Dr. Mahmoud Afifi, Head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities said that the six statues date back to the New Kingdom Era, two of them were found at the rear of chapel 30 and they are the statues of the tomb owner and his wife seated on a chair. The tomb owner is represented in the Osirian position, his arms crossed over his chest and wearing a shoulder length hair wig. The wife on the other hand is represented putting her left arm on her husband's shoulder while her left arm on her chest.

The other four statues, added Afifi, were found at the rear of chapel 31 and they belong to "neferkhewe", Overseer of the Foreign Lands during the reign of "Thutmosis III", his wife, his daughter and son.
Finally, General Manager of Aswan Archaeological Area, Nasr Salama said that the Swedish Mission which started its work in 2012 will continue its excavation works in the area trying to discover more inside the 32 chapels of Gelbel Elselsela, emphasizing the importance of this area in particular because it was where the blocks used in building the temples were cut from.

© Ministry of Antiquities, Press Office
Wrote Asmaa Mostafa 
Translated by: Eman Hossni