Egyptian homeowner’s find unearths royal statues
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A homeowner in Behebat al-Hijara, a village in Egypt’s Gharbia Governorate, discovered an inscribed stone on his property and alerted authorities, leading to the excavation of two giant royal statues.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities inspected the stone and determined it was an ancient artifact, prompting the Supreme Council of Antiquities to begin digging.
The team uncovered fragments of two statues, one clearly depicting King Ramses II, who reigned over 3,000 years ago, and potentially a second statue of the same ruler. Archaeologists recovered a 5-foot-3-inch stone head of Ramses II wearing the double crown, a symbol of unified Egypt, and a portion of the statue’s back pillar. Based on the size of the recovered head, they estimate the complete statue would have been approximately 28 feet tall.
They also found a 7-foot-10-inch section of a second statue, including the head and parts of the legs, adorned with the traditional royal headdress. Near the statues, the team located a 4-foot-3-inch pink granite block inscribed with two of Ramses II’s royal titles. Excavation continues at the site, which is linked to an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, with researchers hoping to determine the statues' original location and purpose.
Egypt’s minister of tourism and antiquities praised the homeowner for reporting the find, emphasizing that such actions help preserve cultural heritage.
