News — Medinet Habu

I am happy to report that by and large the restoration project in Habu Temple on the West Bank of Luxor has mostly been completed and it looks very good. I had concerns that the work would end up enhancing the colors in a way that was not original and would appear out of place. To some degree, that did happen, but almost everyone who has seen the results is pleasantly surprised by the current condition of the Temple. Particularly in the second courtyard known as the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, walls that were completely brown are quite colorful...

  On my most recent trip to Luxor, I went to visit my favorite spot in Medinat Habu (Habu Temple). I was surprised to see scaffolding on a large section of the columns, with a team of young students working diligently on it.  I must admit, I liked the idea of removing dust, dirt, bird poop, etc. However, when I realized that the colorful sections were changing color, I was a bit concerned.   As a purist, I much prefer the 'weathered by thousands of years' look, but I am hopeful that this deepening of the colors will lighten over...