Archaeologists in Egypt unearthed one of the rarest archaeological finds of its kind: a pink statue belonging to the famous ancient ruler King Ramses II near the Pyramids of Giza, declared by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities in 2019.
The secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, announced that it is the first statue found made of granite. Letters meaning “strong bull” are carved on the back of the statue, referring to the “strength and vitality” of the king, and the head of the statue is crowned with the sign “Ka,” according to the statement.
“This discovery is considered one of the rarest archaeological finds. It is the first statue of Ka made of granite to be discovered. The only Ka statue that was previously found is made of wood and belongs to one of the kings of the 13th dynasty of ancient Egypt,” Waziri told Xinhua news agency.
The statue measures 105 cm high, 55 cm wide and 45 cm thick, and was discovered amid illegal excavations near the Great Pyramids of Giza on land owned by a private citizen. He has since been arrested.
“It is in very good condition,” Nevin Al-Aref, a spokesman for the Ministry of Antiquities, told The Associated Press, adding that the statue is undergoing further study.
The famous ancient King Ramses ruled Egypt from 1279 BC. C. until 1213 BC. c.
A brief history of Ancient Egypt