Archaeologists Discovered Two Statues of a Famous King on a Man’s Property. They May Lead to a Lost Ancient Temple.

Who would you call if you found a hunk of pink granite inscribed with hieroglyphics on your property? A homeowner in Egypt decided to call the local authorities, and they’re glad he did, because along with pulling out the granite, the ensuing excavation also revealed a five-foot-tall head from a colossal statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II, plus the upper portion of a second statue that likely depicts the same ancient Egyptian king.

Archaeologists found all three objects within feet of each other in Egypt’s Nile Delta village of Behebat al-Hijara, and now officials with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities are wondering if they’ve stumbled upon an ancient temple site dedicated to Ramesses II, according to a translated statement from the ministry.

The homeowner was working in the front of his house when he found the granite block. Archaeologists came in to finish the job when they discovered the stone likenesses of the king, who reigned from about 1279 to 1213 B.C.E.

The head of Pharaoh Ramesses II was well-preserved, even if the body and base of the statue is still missing. He’s depicted wearing a double crown, symbolizing his reign over the unified Upper and Lower Egypt. The upper part of the colossal statue’s back pillar is inscribed “Har Ka Nakht Mery Maat,” the king’s “Horus name”—the first of the five official titles every pharaoh carried. This one roughly translates to: “The Strong Bull, Beloved of Truth.”

Based on the size of the head and the back part of the pillar, experts believe the original statue once stood a whopping 28 feet tall.

While the large statue clearly resembles King Ramesses II, the second find, a statue fragment measuring about eight feet, may also be Ramesses II. The facial features resemble the first statue’s, and the figure is wearing a nemes, the striped royal headdress or helmet commonly worn by pharaohs. Pieces of the statue are missing, though, making definite identification trickier.

Experts are theorizing about a temple dedicated to Ramesses II because the four-foot-long pink granite block is yet another tie to the king. The inscriptions on the block feature two of the king’s official titles: King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Son of Ra.

The village is no stranger to archaeological finds—it’s also home to the remains of a large temple dedicated to the worship of the goddess Isis. But finding three royal monuments that all likely directly tie to King Ramesses II has eyebrows raised. Was there an earlier royal structure or temple dedicated to the king, or were the three pieces all relocated to the site from somewhere else? Experts plan continued excavations, hoping to discover more from one of the longest-reigning rulers in Egyptian history.