Archaeologists Unearth Statue Fragment Linked to Ramesses II in Egypt

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a fragment of an ancient statue believed to represent Ramesses II, a pharaoh that many experts link to the unnamed ruler in the biblical account of Moses in the Book of Exodus. The discovery took place at Tel Faraoun in the eastern Nile Delta, located northwest of the Red Sea.

Excavations at the site are being led by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. The statue fragment consists of the legs and base, measuring approximately seven feet in height and weighing between five and six tonnes. Despite signs of wear, researchers have identified details associating it with royal artwork from Egypt's New Kingdom period, which lasted from about 1550 to 1070 BC.

Initial assessments indicate the statue was not originally created for the location where it was found.

suggest the statue may have originated from Pi-Ramesses, a royal capital built by Ramesses II in the Nile Delta. It was likely later moved to Tel Faraoun, known anciently as Emet, and possibly reused in a temple complex. Ramesses II ruled from 1279 to 1213 BC, commanding an army of around 100,000 soldiers and noted for military achievements.

Scholars often associate Ramesses II with the pharaoh in Exodus due to references in the text to Hebrew slaves building the city of Raamses, identified as Pi-Ramesses, constructed in the 13th century BC. The discovery site is in the same eastern Nile Delta region as this ancient city.

However, historians note that no direct archaeological evidence identifies the Exodus pharaoh, and the biblical account does not name a specific ruler.

2024, archaeologists found an ancient bronze sword marked with Ramesses II's cartouches at Tell Al-Abqain, a military fort south of Alexandria. The sword, estimated to be about 3,000 years old, is thought to have belonged to a high-ranking soldier rather than the pharaoh.