Ramses II colossal statues discovery in Egypt: How a farmer growing cucumbers made an astonishing find and won a Mecca trip

A farmer in Egypt made an astonishing discovery while working on his land in a village. The find included the remains of two colossal royal statues believed to depict Ramses II. Khaled el-Shahat Khalil discovered the stone while working on his land in Behbeit el-Hagar village in northern Gharbia province and alerted local antiquities officials, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Behbeit el-Hagar is best known for the ruins of the Iseion, an ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy visited Khalil to thank him for reporting the discovery. The farmer and his wife were also awarded a trip to perform Umrah, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken throughout the year.

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The discovery occurred while Khalil was growing cucumbers in a greenhouse on his land. He stumbled upon the remains of two colossal royal statues and ancient inscriptions in Egypt’s Nile Delta. The find has helped archaeologists uncover parts of two royal statues, including a carved head of Ramses II measuring 1.6 metres tall.

Ramses II colossal statues discovery in Egypt

According to an official statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the excavation uncovered a carved stone head of Ramses II wearing the double crown, which symbolised the pharaoh’s rule over Upper and Lower Egypt. Following an examination of the stone, an Egyptian team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities launched a rescue excavation at the site.

According to local media reports, Khaled el-Shahat Khalil had been growing cucumbers in a greenhouse on the plot and had not expected to find such a large ancient statue. “See? Cucumbers bring antiquities,” Gharbia Governor Alaa Abdel Moaty joked during a visit to the farmer’s home last week, according to Egyptian news outlet Youm7.

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Here’s what archaeologists found

The newly unearthed head depicts Ramses II wearing the double crown, which symbolised his rule over Upper and Lower Egypt. Archaeologists also recovered part of the statue’s back pillar, inscribed with one of the pharaoh’s formal royal names, his Horus name.

Hisham el-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the head’s proportions indicated that the complete statue may have stood around 8.5 metres tall, including its base. The surviving portion of a second statue measures approximately 2.4 metres. Although its legs and base are missing, its face remains well preserved. The figure wears the traditional royal nemes headdress, part of which is also missing.

Researchers believe the second statue may also depict Ramses II because its facial features resemble those of the first sculpture. However, its identity has yet to be confirmed.

The excavation also yielded a separate pink granite block measuring around 1.3 metres long. It features hieroglyphic inscriptions that include the royal titles “King of Upper and Lower Egypt” and “Son of Ra”.

Ramses II ruled Egypt for more than six decades, from approximately 1279 to 1213 BC, during the 19th Dynasty. Several monumental statues of the pharaoh remain at Abu Simbel, among the best-known monuments associated with his reign.

The archaeological site of Behbeit el-Hagar is renowned for the ruins of a major temple dedicated to Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess. Excavations and further studies are continuing to determine how the newly discovered fragments fit together and what they reveal about the site’s history.