It must have been heartbreaking.
Abu Simbel was to be a commanding royal presence at Egypt’s southern frontier, but soon after the temples were completed, disaster struck; the area was shaken by a large earthquake.
The most obvious damage was to the top of the second colossal statue of Ramesses II; it had shattered across the torso and crashed to the ground.
The king’s subjects now faced a big dilemma; should they tell the king?
Discover what happened next in the new August / September issue of Nile Magazine.
This amazing photo was taken by Gaston Batistini.