Lost Upper Half of Ramses II Statue Unearthed After Nearly a Century (msn.com)
Story by Beth Snider
• 2h •
In Brief:
- Ramses II's missing upper half statue found in Egypt after a century-long search.
- Joint mission completes iconic monument, revealing insights into ancient worship practices.
- Discovery sheds new light on the legacy of the influential pharaoh.
Archaeologists in Egypt have reunited the long-lost upper half of a colossal statue of Ramses II, marking the conclusion of a nearly century-long search to complete the iconic monument. The excavation in the Ashmunin region of Minya Governorate, Egypt sheds new light on the legacy of one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs.
The upper half of the statue, which includes Ramses II’s head, shoulders, and upper torso, was found by the joint Egyptian-American mission between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Colorado.
Dr. Bassem Jihad, head of the mission’s Egyptian team, described the limestone block as standing over 12 feet tall, adorned with a double crown known as a pschent and a royal cobra headdress symbolizing the king’s authority and divinity.
Ramses II upper portion.© The Egyptian Arabic Republic Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mustafa Waziri, confirmed that the newly discovered upper portion complements the lower part unearthed by German archaeologist G. Roeder in 1930. The mission has commenced cleaning and reinforcing the statue for further study and visualization of its complete form, which has an estimated height of 23 feet.
Ramses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, reigned over Egypt for approximately 66 years during the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, from B.C.E. 1279 to 1213. His rule marked the zenith of Egyptian power and glory, characterized by numerous military victories and grand architectural achievements. The legendary pharaoh is represented throughout the country, including the Twin Temples of Abu Simbel, the colossal statues near the Giza pyramids, and rare finds like the recent discovery of a statue near the Cairo slum.
Abu Simbel, the twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC.© Vyacheslav Argenberg/Flickr
The head of the Central Department of Antiquities of Central Egypt, Dr. Adel Okasha explained the mission’s objective to unearth the religious center spanning from the New Kingdom to the Roman era. Ashmunin, historically known as Khemnu in ancient Egypt and Hermopolis Magna in the Greco-Roman era, held significance as a center for the worship of various deities, including Thamun and Djehuti. This center includes various temples, among them one dedicated to King Ramses II. The discovery of the colossal statue fragment confirms the site’s importance.
"Though we have not found the complex we were initially looking for, a statue of such importance is a sign that we are digging in the right place." - Dr. Adel OkashaHeading the American side of the mission, Dr. Yovonna Trnka noted another achievement from the excavation’s first season, the restoration and reinstallation of large granite columns at the Ashmunin Basilica’s northern side. These columns, erected over the remains of the Ptolemaic Temple, dated back to the sixth century AD and were dedicated to the Virgin Mary. |
