Archaeologists in Egypt uncover missing half of famous Ramses II statue

CAIRO – Almost 100 years ago, archaeologists discovered the bottom half of a statue of Ramses II.  Last week  Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said they had found the remaining fragment of the statue at the same site.

Uncovered during a collaborative Egyptian-American expedition led by Bassem Gehad and Ivonna Trnka, the limestone statue was found at the El Ashmunein archaeological site. The joint effort involved Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities whose team was led by Bassem Gehad and the University of Colorado’s Department of Classics team led by Prof. Ivonna Trnka-Amrhein.

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery last week on March 4, 2024.

Recently unearthed upper half of a statue depicting pharaoh Ramses II [Image Credit: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities]

The statue was found at the El Ashmunein excavation about halfway between Cairo and Luxor.  In ancient Egypt, the city on the west bank of the River Nile was referred to as Khemnu. During the Greco-Roman era, it served as the regional capital of Hermopolis Magna.

Highlighting the significance of the find, Dr. Mustafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, underscored the importance of the archaeological investigation. The study on the upper section of the statue confirmed its continuity with the lower part uncovered by German archaeologist G. Roeder in 1930.

The statue portrays King Ramses II seated, adorned with a double crown and a headdress featuring a royal cobra. Gehad’s statement reveals that the upper section of the statue’s back column displays hieroglyphic inscriptions depicting titles that extol the ruler. The statue’s overall height is approximately 23 feet.

Waziri emphasized the importance of this discovery.  He added that archaeological study of the two pieces but particularly the study conducted on the newly-discovered upper part of the statue, proved that it is a continuation of the lower part.  The lower part of the statue was discovered by the German archaeologist Prof. Dr. Günther Roeder in 1930.

Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, was one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful and celebrated pharaohs. He reigned over Egypt for an exceptionally long period, from 1279 to 1213 BCE, during the 19th dynasty of the New Kingdom. Ramses II is renowned for his military prowess, extensive building projects, and the significant impact he had on the cultural and political landscape of ancient Egypt.

One of the most well-known events of Ramses II’s reign is the Battle of Kadesh, fought against the Hittites, which is documented in the famous Kadesh inscriptions. Despite the conflict ending in a treaty, Ramses II often depicted the battle in a propagandistic manner to emphasize his supposed victory, but the consensus among scholars is that his military genius kept Egypt safe from foreign invaders including the Nubians. The identity of Pharaoh in the Moses story in the Bible has been much debated, but many scholars are inclined to accept that Exodus has King Ramses II in mind.

Ramses II, via New York Public Library

But Ramses II wasn’t solely a warrior; he also left a huge mark through monumental constructions. He is also remembered for his numerous construction projects, including the construction of the temples at Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum, a mortuary temple dedicated to himself.  After reigning for thirty years, Ramses celebrated the Sed festival which elevated him from king to god.

Ramses II’s impressive monuments and statues, such as the colossal statues at Abu Simbel, contribute to his enduring legacy as one of Egypt’s most influential and long-reigning pharaohs.  His vision of Egypt’s monuments stretched far and wide, as he commissioned the creation of awe-inspiring cities, temples, and shrines across Egypt, including the marvels at the temple complex of Karnak.

Statue of Ramses II in Luxor Temple [Image Credit Mohammed Moussa – CCA-SA 3.0]

The Karnak Temple Complex is a vast open-air museum and one of the largest temple complexes in the world. It was dedicated to the worship of the god Amun, along with his consort Mut and their son Khonsu, representing the Theban Triad.

The complex was constructed over several centuries by various pharaohs of the New Kingdom, with contributions from the 16th century BCE to around the 11th century BCE. Karnak includes a series of temples, chapels, pylons, and other significant structures. The most famous part of Karnak is the Great Hypostyle Hall, a vast hall with numerous columns adorned with intricate hieroglyphic carvings.

The newly found portion of the Ramses statue is undergoing cleaning.  Preparation for the reunification of the two statues and what that union would look like has already begun, Waziri said.