In the field: More re Taharqa and other statues

Reuters UK

The Pharaoh Taharqa, mentioned in the Bible for saving Jerusalem from the Assyrians, was a Kushite from north Sudan but ruled a wide empire through Egypt to the borders of Palestine. The southern borders are unknown. The Kushite civilization survived from 9th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D.

"It's an amazing shock that we've found the statues there particularly Taharqa," said Julie Anderson, co-director of the project in Dangail, about 350 km (217.5 miles) north of Khartoum.

"This is the furthest south that we know of that a statue of Taharqa has ever been found," she added.

The dig found four royal statues, of Pharaoh Taharqa (690-664 B.C.), kings Senkamanisken (643-623 B.C.) and Aspelta (593-568 B.C.) as well as part of a crown of a fourth royal who they have yet to identify.

The granite life-size statues would weigh 1.5 tons but appeared to have been deliberately broken at the neck, knees and ankles in a ritual, which may have been due to internal dynastic disputes or an Egyptian pharaoh who came south to assert authority.