Cairo — Egyptian farmer Khaled al-Shahat was working on his land when he came across something he had not seen before. The unusual pink rock led archaeologists to unearth pieces of statues of King Ramses II, who ruled Egypt from 1279 BC. C. until 1213 BC. C. “I was working on my land on Friday when I came across an unusual stone,” al-Shahat told CBS News. “I informed the relevant authorities and they came to examine it.” The stone turned out to be an ancient block of pink granite measuring about 1.3 meters long and bearing two royal titles of Ramses II: “Nesw-Bity” (king of Upper and Lower Egypt) and “Sa-Ra” (son of Ra, the sun god), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. Archaeologists began excavations and discovered a colossal head near the block. of a statue of Ramesses II, which measures approximately 1.6 meters high (about 5.25 feet). The king is represented with the double crown, symbol of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BC. Pieces of statues of King Ramesses II were discovered when a farmers’ land was turned into an archaeological dig. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities On Wednesday, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy visited al-Shahat’s hometown in Al Gharbia Governorate in the Nile Delta to honor him. The minister presented al-Shahat and his wife with certificates of recognition and granted them a trip to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage in recognition of their honesty and responsible conduct for not keeping the discovery to themselves. Khaled al-Shahat is recognized by Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy on October 14, 2026. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities “The minister insisted that the citizen be honored in his village, in his own land and among his family and fellow villagers, in recognition of his honesty, conscience and sense of responsibility,” the ministry said in a statement. Archaeologists also unearthed the remains of the top of the statue’s rear pillar, which bears the formal royal title of Ramses II, or name of Horus: Hor Ka Nakht Mery Maat. The size of the head suggests that the entire statue was about 28 feet tall, according to archaeologists. “I was surprised and happy when they discovered more antiquities,” al-Shahat told CBS News. “They told me this could change the history of the area.” Pieces of statues of King Ramses II were discovered when a farmer’s land was turned into an archaeological dig. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Most of a second royal statue, also believed to represent Ramses II, was discovered. She is approximately 2.4 meters long (about 7.87 feet), and is missing the legs and base, as well as part of the top section of her nemes royal headdress. Its head has clearly visible and well-preserved facial features that resemble those of the first statue, the ministry said. Excavations and archaeological studies continue in the lands of al-Shahat to learn more about the statues, the history of the area and its architectural development in ancient Egypt. More from CBS News Go deeper with The Free Press in:
