Egyptian-Korean Project Moves to Rebuild Ramesseum's First Pylon
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A major Egyptian-Korean conservation project at the Ramesseum in Luxor has entered a new phase, preparing teams to dismantle, restore and reassemble thousands of stone blocks from the first pylon of Ramesses II's mortuary temple using detailed archaeological and architectural documentation.
Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities is carrying out the project with the Korea National University of Heritage as part of a five-year programme launched in 2023. The Ramesseum forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis.
The work includes architectural surveys, photography, scientific documentation and the creation of a database for the stone blocks, as well as excavations around the pylon to identify additional elements that originally formed part of the structure.
A massive temporary protective structure has now been completed over the restoration area. Measuring 42 by 26 metres, covering 1,092 square metres and supported by columns reaching 21 metres, it was designed to protect the archaeological remains while allowing cranes to operate safely during the dismantling and restoration process. Korean heritage authorities describe it as the first large-scale temporary structure of its kind built in Egypt specifically for archaeological conservation.
Excavation and survey work has also produced archaeological discoveries, including architectural blocks bearing the cartouche of Ramesses II and place names that have provided researchers with additional evidence concerning the pharaoh's territorial reach.
