Much of the upper part of the colossal statue of Ramesses II, who reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC during the 19th Dynasty, was discovered by a joint Egyptian-American team of archaeologists working near the city of Minya.
Egyptian archaeologist Bassem Jihad said the carved piece of limestone measuring about 5.5 meters high depicts Ramesses wearing a double crown and a headdress topped with a king cobra.
This is a great success for the Egyptian-American archaeological mission. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported the situation.
“On the upper part of the statue’s rear column there are hieroglyphs that praise the king, one of the most powerful pharaohs of ancient Egypt,” Bassem Jihad, head of the Egyptian team, said in a statement.
Why is this such an important event? Because they have been waiting for it for 94 years!
The lower part of the Ramesses II statue was discovered by German archaeologist Gunther Roeder in 1930. Originally, the entire statue was over 7 meters high. Mustafa Waziri of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said researchers will create a model of what the statue looked like in ancient times.
Research has already shown that the upper part of the statue corresponds to the lower part. Archaeologists, according to the statement, have already begun cleaning and preparing the uncovered block of the statue before modeling what the statue will look like when the two parts are joined together.
The figure of Ramesses II is extremely important in the history of ancient Egypt. The Egyptian ruler is known for his military campaigns, architectural achievements and the many monumental buildings he commissioned, including the famous temples at Abu Simbel and Ramesseum. He is often remembered as a great builder and a talented diplomat.
No wonder the discovery of another part of his statue aroused such emotions in the world of archeology.