Egyptian villager helps unearth colossal Ramses II statue head
An Egyptian villager’s chance discovery of an inscribed stone near his home has led archaeologists to uncover a colossal statue head of Pharaoh Ramses II and several other ancient artifacts in the Nile Delta, Qazinform News Agency cites Anadolu Agency.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled El-Shahat Khalil found the stone while working on his land in Behbeit el-Hagar village in Gharbia Province. Recognizing its potential significance, he notified local antiquities authorities.
Subsequent excavations revealed a massive 1.6-meter-tall stone head depicting Ramses II wearing the double crown that symbolized the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Archaeologists also uncovered much of a second royal statue, measuring 2.4 meters in height and believed to represent Ramses II. The statue’s head retains well-preserved facial features beneath a traditional royal headdress.
In addition, researchers discovered a 1.3-meter block of pink granite bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions, including two royal titles associated with the ancient pharaoh.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy and Gharbia Governor Alaa Abdel Moaty visited Khalil on Wednesday to recognize his role in the discovery. Khalil and his wife received a certificate of appreciation and were awarded an Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca in recognition of his honesty and civic responsibility.
Officials said Khalil’s decision to report the find enabled archaeologists to properly investigate the site and preserve its historical treasures.
Behbeit el-Hagar, located in Egypt’s Nile Delta, is known for the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Isis.
Earlier reports highlighted, archaeologists from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University unearthed a settlement dating back to the first Turkic Khaganate during extensive fieldwork in the Zaisan basin of East Kazakhstan.