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| PHOTOGRAPH BY IBRAHIM RAMADAN, ANADOLU AGENCY, GETTY IMAGES |
We love
archaeology and there was just a big find in the slums of Cairo, Egypt that
dates back about 3,000 years!
Cool Archaeology:
Massive Statue of Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Found in Cairo
A massive statue
of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh was found this month submerged in groundwater in
a working-class neighborhood of Cairo. The unearthed pieces are made of
quartzite and could be upwards of 3,000 years old.
What was
first believed to be a depiction of Pharaoh Ramses II is now more likely
thought to be King Psammetich I, who ruled Egypt from 664 to 610 BC, according
to Egyptian antiquities officials. The biggest clue pointing to the statue's
true identity was the discovery of an inscription on it that read
"Nebaa," a name closely linked to Psammetich I.
The statue's
other characteristics led archaeologists to believe that the artifact came from
Egypt's Late Period. If true, researchers believe it would be the largest
statue from the Late Period ever discovered.
The 26-foot
statue is made of quartzite. Other fragments of the statue will need to be
studied to confirm the identity with certainty.
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An Egyptian girl walks past the head of a statue at the site of a new discovery.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KHALED DESOUKI, AFP, GETTY IMAGES
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Archaeologists
from Egypt and Germany have discovered the remains of an ancient Egyptian
statue they believe could depict one of history's most famous rulers. "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," Khaled al-Anani, Egypt's antiquities minister, told Reuters.
The discovery was made by a joint effort
between Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities and researchers from the University of
Leipzig.
