This is the moment archaeologists lifted a 3,000-year-old statue of an Egyptian Pharaoh considered ‘one of the most important discoveries ever’ from a muddy ditch.
Experts descended on the Souq al-Khamis district of the capital Cairo and used a crane to lift the three-tonne torso of the statue, which is believed to depict revered Pharaoh Ramses II.
The discovery, hailed by the Antiquities Ministry as one of the most important ever, was made near the ruins of Ramses II’s temple in the ancient city of Heliopolis.
Researchers from Egypt and Germany say the 26ft statue probably depicts revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
The first part of the colossus – a large portion of the head – was pulled up Thursday.
Scroll down for video
PIctures captured the moment archaeologists lifted a 3,000-year-old statue of an Egyptian Pharaoh considered ‘one of the most important discoveries ever’ from a muddy ditch
Experts descended on the Souq al-Khamis district of the capital Cairo and used a crane to lift the statue which will now be taken away for examination and restoration
Discovery: Egyptian workers pose next to the excavated three-tonne torso of the statue after it was lifted from a ditch
Egyptians look on as a crane lifts parts of a statue for restoration after it was unearthed at Souq al-Khamis district, at al-Matareya area, Cairo
Antiquities workers and reporters watch on as the statue’s torso is slowly lifted out of the hole before being take away
The Ministry of Antiquities says the statue’s parts would be assembled at the Egyptian museum in central Cairo, where they would be pieced together and restored before being moved to the yet-to-open Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids.
WHAT DID THEY FIND?
Archaeologists in a Cairo suburb – once the site of the ancient capital of Heliopolis – found two 3000-year-old pharaonic statues.
The statues are thought to represent Pharaohs from the 19th dynasty.
One statue stands 26ft (8 metres) tall and is carved out of quartzite – a tough stone composed mainly of quartz.
It could not be identified from its engravings but it was found at the entrance to the temple of King Ramses II – also known as Ramses the Great – suggesting it represents him.
The other relic is a limestone statue of 12th century BC ruler King Seti II.
The discovery of the two statues shows the importance of the city of Heliopolis, which was dedicated to the worship of Ra.
Ramses the Great was the most powerful and celebrated ruler of ancient Egypt.
Known by his successors as the ‘Great Ancestor’, he led several military expeditions and expanded the Egyptian Empire to stretch from Syria in the east to Nubia in the south.
He was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and ruled from 1279 to 1213 BCE.
‘Last Tuesday they called me to announce the big discovery of a colossus of a king, most probably Ramses II, made out of quartzite,’ Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani told Reuters on Thursday at the site of the statue’s unveiling.
‘We found the bust of the statue and the lower part of the head and now we removed the head and we found the crown and the right ear and a fragment of the right eye,’ Anani said.
Just days ago, archaeologists, officials, local residents, and members of the news media looked on as a massive forklift pulled the statue’s head out of the water
The joint Egyptian-German expedition, which included the University of Leipzig, also found the upper part of a life-sized limestone statue of Pharaoh Seti II, Ramses II’s grandson, which is 80 centimetres long.
A German-Egyptian archaeological mission found two 19th dynasty royal statues in the vicinity of King Ramses II temple in ancient Heliopolis
The statue was gently lifted to safety with the help of a crane as a crowd of dignitaries watched on in Cairo
Antiquities workers cover the head of a massive statue, thought to be that of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country’s most famous ancient rulers
The three-tonne torso was pulled by a crane as dozens of workers supported it while being moved to dry land Monday
The Ministry of Antiquities says the statue’s parts would be assembled at the Egyptian museum in central Cairo, where they would be pieced together and restored before being moved to the yet-to-open Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids
Statues of the kings and queens of the nineteenth dynasty (1295 – 1185 BC) were unearthed in the vicinity of the Temple of Ramses II in what was the old Pharonic city
Archaeologists from Egypt and Germany have found a massive 26ft (8 metre) statue submerged in ground water in a Cairo slum. Researchers say it probably depicts revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago
Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anani (second left) and German ambassador to Egypt Julius Georg Luy (left) watch as the statue is lifted from the ditch
The statue is likely of Ramses II, who took the throne in his early 20s and ruled Egypt for 60 years more than 3,000 years ago. He is credited with expanding ancient Egypt’s reach as far as modern Syria to the east and modern Sudan to the south
News
**Breaking News: Bigfoot Exists! 1820s Photo Reveals Shocking Truth!**
Iп a groυпdbreakiпg discovery that challeпges coпveпtioпal beliefs aboυt the legeпdary creatυre kпowп as ‘Bigfoot,’ researchers have υпveiled a historic photograph depictiпg hυmaпs coexistiпg with these elυsive beiпgs siпce the 1820s. The photograph, believed to have beeп takeп iп a…
**The Ocean’s Secrets Unveiled: Ship Lost for 90 Years Reappears!**
Uпveiliпg the Eпigma: The Ship that Resυrfaced After 90 Years Lost at Sea** Iп a tale that seems straight oυt of a maritime legeпd, a ship has emerged from the depths of history after beiпg lost at sea for a…
**We Discovered a Hidden World of Fairies?**
The discovery of mυmmified bodies resembliпg tiпy “fairies” iп a gardeп has sparked iпtrigυe aпd specυlatioп amoпg those fasciпated by the realms of the sυperпatυral aпd the υпexplaiпed. Accordiпg to reports, these dimiпυtive bodies were υпearthed iп a gardeп settiпg,…
**Mermaid Mania in NYC: Is This the Real Deal?**
Iп the bυstliпg metropolis of New York, amidst the coпcrete jυпgle where dreams are made, there lies a υпiqυe aпd captivatiпg sight that has captυred the imagiпatioпs of millioпs. This marvel is пoпe other thaп the oпly real mermaid ever…
**Nephilim Skull Discovery Challenges Everything We Thought We Knew!**
Iп th𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊lm 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚛ch𝚊𝚎𝚘l𝚘𝚐𝚢, 𝚏𝚎w 𝚍isc𝚘v𝚎𝚛i𝚎s 𝚐𝚎п𝚎𝚛𝚊t𝚎 𝚊ѕ m𝚞сh iпt𝚛i𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝚊п𝚍 𝚏𝚊sciп𝚊ti𝚘п 𝚊ѕ th𝚘ѕ𝚎 𝚛𝚎l𝚊t𝚎𝚍 t𝚘 𝚊пci𝚎пt civiliz𝚊ti𝚘пs 𝚊п𝚍 𝚎пi𝚐m𝚊tic 𝚋𝚎iп𝚐s. R𝚎c𝚎пtl𝚢, 𝚊 t𝚎𝚊m 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚛ch𝚊𝚎𝚘l𝚘𝚐ists m𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞п𝚍𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊kiп𝚐 𝚏iп𝚍—𝚊 N𝚎𝚙hіlіm ѕk𝚞ll, whіch h𝚊ѕ i𝚐пit𝚎𝚍 𝚊 ѕt𝚘𝚛m 𝚘𝚏 𝚎xcit𝚎m𝚎пt…
**Unlocking the Secrets of the Underground: Are Reptilians Among Us?**
Iп the realm of coпspiracy theories, oпe iпtrigυiпg пotioп that has captυred the imagiпatioпs of maпy is the coпcept of reptiliaп beiпgs iпhabitiпg υпdergroυпd bases. This captivatiпg idea has sparked пυmeroυs discυssioпs aпd debates, leadiпg to a plethora of specυlatioп…
End of content
No more pages to load