Colossal Granite Head of Amenhotep III at The British Museum, London

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King Amenhotep III commissioned numerous statues of himself in Thebes, primarily for his mortuary temple on the west bank of the Nile. A colossal head was discovered in the Temple of Mut, the consort of principal god Amun, where it sits just south-east of the Temple of Karnak. Royal statues in Egypt were often usurped by later rulers, who would either re-carve their name over the old one or alter physical features. Ramesses II altered several statues of Amenhotep III in this manner, likely to represent his ideal image. In this statue, Ramesses focused on changing the characteristic thick lips of the older statuary to thinner ones. He also reduced plump stomach areas to make them closer to his ideal king's physique. The statue wears the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory, creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help.