By Breitbart News Network | Created at 2026-10-15 14:27:06 | Updated at 2026-10-16 09:39:43
1 day ago
The things you find when you are just going about a day’s work. An Egyptian farmer toiling outside his home stumbled on an unusual stone, sparking an archaeological excavation that uncovered the remains of two colossal statues believed to represent a Pharaoh who ruled Egypt some 3,000 years ago.
The discovery came in the village of Behebat al-Hijara, an oupost in Egypt’s Nile Delta about 60 miles north of Cairo, where the homeowner unearthed a stone covered in inscriptions and alerted local archaeological authorities, Archaeology News reports.
A second stone believed to be linked to the first was found with both tied back to Pharaoh Ramses II who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago and is popularly linked to the pharaoh in the biblical Book of Exodus.
The singular historic event was announced via a Facebook announcement from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
PEOPLE reports an inspection team was duly despatched and arrived at the property to confirm the stone was an ancient artifact. The outlet notes:
The discovery prompted a larger excavation by Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, which uncovered the remains of two massive royal statues and a block of pink granite bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions.
One of the statues was identified as depicting King Ramses II, who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Archaeologists believe the second statue may also depict the ancient pharaoh.
Based on the size of the head, according to Hisham El-Lithi, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the complete statue, including its base, may have originally stood approximately 28 feet tall.
FILE: The Ramasseum memorial temple (or mortuary temple) of Pharaoh Rameses II (c. 1303 BC – 1213 BC). located in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy praised the villager for reporting the block so quickly and pointed to the role ordinary citizens play in protecting the nation’s heritage for future generations.
Archaeologists believe the finds could provide valuable new clues about the ancient temple complex that once stood in the area and the role it played during the reign of Ramses II.
