Egypt uncovers two colossal Ramses II statues in a Nile Delta village

Discovery in the Nile Delta

A local resident working a plot of land in front of his home came across an inscribed stone block and alerted the authorities. A mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities then went to the village of Behbeit el-Hagar, also spelled Bahbit Al-Higara, in Gharbia governorate on the Nile Delta, about 100 kilometres north of Cairo. The local antiquities inspectorate completed the necessary legal procedures and set up an archaeological committee and a specialised team to carry out recovery excavations. Those digs uncovered the remains of two statues and a granite block carrying hieroglyphic inscriptions. The Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the finds. The village was already known for the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, built largely from granite blocks.

The first statue

The first find is a colossal head, about 1.60 metres high, of a king wearing the double crown that symbolises the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the size of the head suggests the original statue, base included, stood about 8.5 metres tall. Nearby, archaeologists found the upper part of the back pillar, which bears an inscription with one of the king's royal names, Hor-Ka-Nakht-Mery-Maat. The inscription identifies the figure as Ramses II. Reports describe the head as one of the most striking finds from the site.

The second statue and the granite block

A second royal statue, about 2.40 metres long, is largely preserved. It lacks its legs and base, and the upper part of its royal headdress is damaged, but the head survives with facial features in good condition. Researchers suspect it may also show Ramses II, though that identification has not been confirmed. About one metre north of this statue, the team found a pink granite block around 1.30 metres long. Its hieroglyphs include two more royal titles, Nesu-Bity, meaning King of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Sa-Ra, meaning Son of Ra.

Ramses II is known as the third king of the 19th Dynasty and is remembered for a 66-year rule, military campaigns and extensive building programmes. Focus notes that his mummy survives and is held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.

Official response and next steps

Sherif Fathy, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, described the discovery as an important addition to the country's archaeological heritage that sheds further light on the history of Behbeit el-Hagar. He also stressed the role of community participation in protecting Egypt's cultural heritage. Excavation and study at the site are continuing, with the aim of bringing more objects to light and examining how the finds relate to one another and to the earlier temple. Researchers also want to determine whether more pieces remain buried at the site.