Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered part of a colossal statue believed to represent one of the country’s most powerful pharaohs, Rameses II.
The discovery was made in a temple complex on the Tel Faraon site in the Nile Delta city of Husseiniyah.
Although the statue is damaged and in poor condition, archaeologists said its remaining features have significant artistic and royal characteristics.
Initial estimates suggest the sculpture weighed between five and six tonnes and stood around 2.2 metres tall in its surviving form.
Only the lower half remains but this was enough for the team from the supreme council of antiquities to be sure that it represented Rameses II, also known as Rameses the Great and one of the most celebrated rulers in Egyptian history.
The pharaoh is believed to have lived from around 1303 BC to 1213 BC and ascended the throne at the age of 25. He was both a warrior king and a hugely successful builder, constructing palaces, cities and monuments, some of which survive until this day.
He was also the inspiration for Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem Ozymandius, which is Greek for Rameses. The poet was inspired by another statue of the ‘king of kings’ after it arrived in Britain in 1818.
Experts say the latest discovery sheds new light on historical importance of the region where it was found.
Dr Hisham El-Leithy, secretary general of the supreme council of antiquities, said: ‘This is one of the important pieces of archaeological evidence that highlights the phenomena of religious and royal activity in the East Delta region.’
Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian antiquities sector at the council, said early analysis points to the statue having been relocated in antiquity.
He added that, ‘preliminary studies indicate that the statue was moved in ancient times from the city of Ber-Ramses to the site of Pharaoh, formerly known as Emet, for reuse within a religious complex, reflecting the religious and historical significance of the site.’
Experts believe the statue may once have formed part of a triad – a group of three statues – similar to examples found at other archaeological sites in Egypt’s eastern provinces.
It has now been transferred to a storage facility at the San El-Hagar museum for conservation.
Specialists are expected to begin detailed restoration work using what officials describe as the highest scientific standards for preserving antiquities.