The statue of what is believed to be Ramses II has been found in one of the slums in Cairo. The statue has been found by archeologists under groundwater. Ramses II statue has been found in an Egyptian city slum.
The discovery has been made by archeologists from Germany and Egypt. Khaled al-Anani, head of the Antiquities Ministry in Egypt, said that the bust and lower part of the statue's head has been found. Fragments of the statue such as the ear and right eye have also been found.
The statue is tall at 26 feet in height. It is made out of quartzite and is believed to be 3,000 years old. The statue does not have any inscription to identify it, though archeologists believe it to be that of Ramses II. The statue is in close proximity to a temple devoted to him.
Aside from the statue of Ramses II, a statue of his grandson, Seti II has been found on the site. Researchers from the University of Leipzig together with the Ministry of Antiquities have made the discovery in one of the slums in Cairo. Industrial waste and rubble have made excavation of the statue to be difficult, according to National Geographic.
The excavation work will continue at the site. Pieces of the statue are yet to be found. If the statue would be restored, it would then be put on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum which would be opened next year.
The site where the statue has been found is in the working class area of Matariya, as The Independent reports. The place used to be the site of a temple dedicated to Ra, which was built by Ramses II. The temple was later destroyed though its obelisks were moved to Alexandria or Europe, while some of the stones of the temple were used for other buildings.
Many of such artefacts are said to be still underneath Cairo, buried after centuries of building and development. The finding of the statue is one such example that many more are waiting to be found. The Ramses II statue has been found in an Egyptian city slum. A study shows that neighborhood environment determines health.
