19th March 2024
Egypt unearths rare statue of King Ramses II near Giza pyramids
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Egypt unearths rare statue of King Ramses II near Giza pyramids

Archeologists in Egypt unearthed in one of the most rare archeological finds of its kind a pink statue belonging famed ancient ruler King Ramesses II near the Giza Pyramids, declared by the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt in 2019.

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri announced that the discovery was the first statue to be found made of granite. Letters meaning “strong bull” are carved on the back of the statue, referring to the king’s “strength and validity,” and the head of the statue is crowned with the “Ka” sign, according to the statement.

“This discovery is considered one of the rarest archaeological discoveries. It is the first ever Ka statue made of granite to be discovered. The only Ka statue that was previously found is made of wood, and it belongs to one of the kings of the thirteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt,” Waziri told Xinhua News Agency.

The statue measures in at 105 cm high, 55 cm across and 45 cm thick, and was uncovered amid illegal excavations near the Great Pyramids of Giza on land that was owned by a private citizen. He has since been arrested.

“It’s in very good condition,” Niveen al-Areef, a spokesperson for the antiquities ministry, told The Associated Press, adding that the statue is now undergoing further study.

The celebrated ancient King Ramesses ruled Egypt from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C.

A brief history of Ancient Egypt

1) The Ancient Egyptians were an advanced civilisation who at one point owned a huge portion of the globe.

2) The civilisation began about 5,000 years ago when ancient humans began building villages along the River Nile.

3) It lasted for about 3,000 years and saw the building of complex cities centuries ahead of their time – as well as the famous Great Pyramids.

4) The Ancient Egyptians were experts at farming and construction.

5) They invented a solar calendar, and one of the world’s earliest writing systems: The hieroglyph.

6)The Egyptians were ruled by kings and queens called pharaohs.

7) Religion and the afterlife were a huge part of Ancient Egyptian culture. They had over 2,000 gods.

8) Pharaohs built huge elaborate tombs to be buried in, some of which were pyramids – at the time among the largest buildings in the world.

9)The Egyptians believed in life after death, and important people’s corpses were mummified to preserve their bodies for the afterlife.

10) The Ancient Egytpian empire fell due to a mix of factors, including wars with other empires and a 100-year period of drought and starvation.