Colossal Ramses II Statues Unearthed in Egyptian Village

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered the remains of two colossal statues believed to depict Ramses II, after a local landowner reported an inscribed stone block in the village of Behbeit El-Hagar.

The discoveries were made by an archaeological mission from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the SCA, announced the finds. The first is a stone head more than five feet high, from a massive statue.

The head depicts a man wearing the double crown. The crown symbolized the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt and was worn by ancient Egyptian rulers.

What do the inscriptions reveal?

Nearby, archaeologists found part of the statue's back pillar. An inscription on the pillar gives one of Ramses II's five royal titles, "Hor-Ka-Nakht-Mery-Maat" (The Strong Bull, Beloved of Ma'at). The inscription identifies him as the sculpture's subject.

The second find consists of part of a statue of a royal personage along with its head, which was adorned with the striped cloth associated with ancient Egyptian rulers. The surviving section of the figure, missing its legs and base, measures almost eight feet high without the head.

Researchers believe this statue may also represent Ramses II, based on the similarity of its face to that of the first. The identification has not been confirmed.

The mission also found a pink granite block about four feet long not far from the statues. It bears traces of hieroglyphic inscriptions that include two more titles of Ramses II:

• "Nesu-Bity" (King of Upper and Lower Egypt)
• "Sa-Ra" (Son of Ra)

Why Ramses II?

Ramses II, known to historians as Ramses the Great, was the third king of ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty (1292–1191 BCE). He presided over the final peak of Egypt's imperial power and is remembered for his 66-year rule, his military campaigns, and his extensive building programs of monumental temples and statues.

Because of his popularity, longevity, and talent for political propaganda, inscriptions and artworks bearing his name and image can be found throughout Egypt. The new finds at Behbeit El-Hagar add another site to that record.

Excavations and archaeological work are continuing in the area, and further finds may clarify whether the second statue indeed portrays the king.