These two enormous seated statues of Amenhotep III are the main remains of the Pharaoh's mortuary temple complex. 3,300 years and several earthquakes have taken their toll on these statues.
Even 2,000+ years ago these statues were famous as the northern one of the pair made a moaning sound in the mornings & evenings. Travellers from around the world visited the site, including various Roman Emperors to hear the "singing" statue. Unfortunately following a repair after an earthquake in AD 199, the statue fell silent. The sound was probably caused by rising temperatures and the evaporation of dew inside the porous rock.
Our guide was convinced that the Memnon nickname to these statues came from Agamemnon who bemoaned his fate at being murdered by his wife on his return from the Trojan wars.
More likely is that the name comes from Memnon (an Ethiopian King who fought on the side of the Trojans)whose mother was Eos, the Dawn Goddess.
Whichever, it is odd that an Grecian mythological story should be associated with ancient Egyptian statues.
