Archaeologists have discovered an unusual statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II

The artifact will reveal new architectural techniques of Ancient Egypt

During the excavation, an Egyptian-American team unearthed the top part of a statue of Ramesses II in Egypt. This find not only sheds light on the reign of one of ancient Egypt’s most fearsome pharaohs, but also marks a significant step in the understanding of ancient Egyptian art and architecture.

A joint Egyptian-American archaeological mission discovered the upper part of a statue of Ramesses II during excavations in Egypt’s Minya province. Ramesses II, commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty during the New Kingdom. His reign is often considered the most celebrated in Egyptian history, marked by military campaigns and major building projects.

Excavations carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Colorado revealed a limestone block approximately 3.8 meters high depicting Ramesses II seated with a double crown. The statue was found during excavations in the ancient city of Hermopolis, located near the border between Lower and Upper Egypt. Known as Khemenu during the Old Kingdom, the city became the capital of a province second only to Thebes.

According to the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Archeology, Mustafa Waziri, the limestone statue is the missing upper part of a statue discovered by German archaeologist Günter Raeder in the 1930s. Once fully assembled, the combined statue is expected to reach approximately 7 meters in height and will be decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions glorifying the reign of Ramesses II.

The statue stands approximately 7 meters tall, combined with a piece from a 1930s excavation, and depicts the pharaoh wearing a double crown and a king cobra headdress. At the top of the rear column is a series of hieroglyphic inscriptions describing the pharaoh’s illustrious titles.

Archaeologist Yufona Tranka also explained that the scientists’ mission also restored granite columns located on the north side of the Ashmonin Basilica, a 6th-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary that was built on the ruins of the Talmi Temple.

The team began cleaning and studying the statue fragment. This process not only promises to provide a more complete visual understanding of Ramesses II, but also opens up new opportunities for research into the materials, techniques and artistic methods of the period. The discovery is expected to expand understanding of ancient Egyptian civilization and its leaders.