Massive statue believed to depict King Ramsis II unearthed in Sharqiya, Egypt
Nevine El-Aref , Wednesday 22 Apr 2026
An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a massive ancient Egyptian statue at the Tell El-Faraoun site in El-Husseiniya, Sharqiya Governorate, shedding new light on royal and religious life in the eastern Nile Delta.
According to Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the discovery is significant not only for its scale but also for what it reveals about the historical movement and reuse of royal monuments. “This find provides valuable evidence of how statues were relocated and repurposed during the New Kingdom, particularly in regional centres connected to major royal capitals,” he added.
Weighing an estimated 5 to 6 tons and standing approximately 2.20 metres tall, the statue is considered one of the notable finds in the region in recent years. Although its condition is relatively poor, surviving sections display artistic and stylistic features suggesting it may have originally been part of a triad, a grouping of three statues commonly found in ancient Egyptian temples.
Initial studies indicate that the statue may not have originated at Tell El-Faraoun itself. Instead, it is believed to have been transported in antiquity from the city of Per-Ramesses, a major royal capital during the reign of Rameses II, to the recent site, known in ancient times as Imet, for reuse within a religious complex. The movement underscores the long-standing religious importance of the area across different historical periods.
To ensure its preservation, the statue was promptly transferred from the temple complex to a secure storage facility in San El-Hagar, where specialized restoration work is set to begin.
Conservators plan to undertake careful and urgent interventions following established scientific standards.
The discovery adds to a series of recent archaeological finds in Sharqiya. Just months earlier, researchers uncovered a stone stela bearing a previously unknown copy of the Canopus Decree, issued by Ptolemy III in 238 BC. The decree, originally disseminated across Egypt’s temples, honored the king, his family, and reinforced royal authority through religious institutions.
“Together, these discoveries are helping to reshape understanding of the eastern Delta, not merely as a peripheral region, but as a dynamic centre of political, religious, and cultural activity throughout Egypt’s ancient history,” El-Leithy said.
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