Egyptian Villager Stumbles Upon Ancient Treasure of Pharaoh Ramses II’s Statue
In a small village in Behbeit el-Hagar, northern Gharbia province in the Nile Delta of Egypt, a villager named Khaled Khalil made a remarkable discovery outside his home. What seemed like an ordinary stone with ancient decorations turned out to be a key that led archaeologists to uncover a hidden treasure – a large statue of the renowned Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, who reigned approximately 3300 years ago.
Upon finding the mysterious stone, Khalil promptly alerted local authorities from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. After conducting tests and examinations on the stone, archaeologists commenced excavations and unearthed the colossal head of Ramses II’s statue, standing approximately 1.6 meters (around 5.25 feet) tall. The statue depicts the pharaoh wearing the double crown, a symbol of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Hisham el-Leithy, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, estimated that based on the proportions of the head, the complete statue (including its base) could reach a total height of around 8.5 meters.
Further exploration led to the discovery of a second statue fragment, with remnants standing approximately 2.4 meters (7.87 feet) tall. Archaeologists believe this piece also represents Ramses II, as the facial features closely resemble those of the first statue. The pharaoh is depicted wearing a traditional headdress. Despite missing parts like the legs, base, and the upper portion of the headdress, the face of the statue remarkably retains its original features after thousands of years of erosion.
Also found alongside the statues was an ancient piece of pink granite, measuring about 1.3 meters (approximately 4.26 feet) in length. Carved with hieroglyphic inscriptions, the granite stone bears Ramses II’s titles, including “Nesw-Bity” (meaning “King of Upper and Lower Egypt”) and “Sa-Ra” (meaning “Son of Ra,” the sun god).
According to records from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Ramses II reigned around 3300 years ago for a remarkable 67 years, taking the throne between the ages of 25 and 30.
Reports from the Egyptian news outlet “Youm7” shared the unexpected discovery by Khalil, who was cultivating cucumbers on the land where the artifacts were found. During a visit to Khalil’s home, Alaa Abdel Moaty, the Governor of Gharbia province, jokingly remarked, “Look, even cucumbers can lead to archaeological findings.”