Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities completed the restoration of the gold compartment at Habu Temple on the western bank of Luxor Governorate.
“The restoration work was carried out by Egyptian restorers from the Supreme Council of Antiquities,” Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziry, said in a statement.
“The process included the removal of dirt, soot and damage caused by erosion factors, which returned the original colors of the compartment,” he added.
“The restoration of the gold compartment is part of the Habu temple restoration project, which began in March,” said Saady Awad, director general of Maintenance and Restoration in Upper Egypt.
He explained that “the work in the gold compartment included documentation and recording using a photographic camera before, during and after the restoration work, as well as mechanical and chemical cleansing, and replacement of old, dilapidated parts of the walls.”
The Temple of Habu is one of the most significant Egyptian temples. It was built to honor King Ramesses III, hold funerary rituals, and worship god Amun.
It consists of two courtyards, one featuring inscriptions narrating the wars fought by King Ramesses III, and another featuring inscriptions for celebrations, followed by a hall of columns on both sides.
The chapels of the temple were dedicated to some deities, and the most important of which is the gold compartment, which has been restored and returned to its original colors.
“The first four years of King Ramses III rule were so calm. He was busy strengthening his state and maintained his father’s policy in stabilizing Egypt. The King depicted the images of his wars and victories against Hittites on the walls of his funerary temple in the city of Habu,” explained Dr. Hussein Abdul Basir, director of Bibliotheca Alexandrina and author of the “Pharaohs: Warriors, Diplomats, and Martials”.
“King Ramesses III recorded half of his wars against Hittites on the external wall of the second edifice, to the northern side of the temple. This text is considered the longest known hieroglyphic text engraved in a temple so far,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
