Farmer's find reveals two massive Ramses II statues beneath Egyptian village
A farmer in Behbeit el-Hagar uncovered two colossal statues, one confirmed as Ramses II, after reporting a mysterious stone block.
In the Delta village of Behbeit el-Hagar, a farmer’s discovery of an unusual stone block prompted a rapid response from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Rescue excavations uncovered the remains of two enormous statues, one definitively representing Pharaoh Ramses II and the second presumed to be another likeness of the same king. The first statue features a 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) head crowned with the double emblem of Upper and Lower Egypt, while the second fragment measures about 8 ft (2.4 m) in length but lacks its lower portion.
Researchers also retrieved a pink granite slab inscribed with hieroglyphs bearing Ramses II’s royal titles. The finds are linked to a once-prominent Temple of Isis that once stood in the area. Officials praised the farmer’s quick action for safeguarding the heritage. Ongoing digs aim to reveal further elements of the buried temple complex.
Why it matters
The statues provide rare physical evidence of Ramses II’s reign and may shed light on a lost temple complex.
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