Egypt extracts torso of 'Pharaoh Ramses II' statue from mud

13 March 2017

A massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country"s most famous ancient rulers, is pulled out of groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017 — Image caption,
The statue was found in wasteland inbetween apartment blocks on the site of the ancient capital, Heliopolis

The torso of a huge statue, possibly 3,000 years old, has been lifted from the ground in Egypt. It could depict a famous pharaoh.

The statue's giant head and other fragments were extracted from the same site last week.

The relics were found in the north-east of Cairo, close to the temple of Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, and experts believe it may represent him.

Egyptians look on as a crane lifts parts of a statue for restoration after it was unearthed at Souq al-Khamis district, at al-Matareya area, Cairo, Egypt, 13 March 2017

EPA

Part of the torso was hauled out from deep muddy groundwater using a crane on Monday

Egyptian workers stand as a statue is raised from the earth, that might be of revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt over 3,000 years ago, at the Matariya area in, Cairo, Egypt 13 March 2017.

Reuters

The Ministry of Antiquities said the statue's parts would be moved and assembled at the Egyptian museum in central Cairo. It's hoped that it will be possible to put the two large pieces together.

An Egyptian worker stands beside the unearthed statue that might be of revered Pharaoh Ramses II who ruled Egypt over 3,000 years ago, at the Matariya area in Cairo, Egypt, March 13, 2017.

Reuters

The figure is made out of quarzite

People watch as the crew unearth a statue that might be of revered Pharaoh Ramses II who ruled Egypt over 3,000 years ago, at the Matariya area in Cairo, Egypt, March 13, 2017

Reuters

Residents close to where the statue was found cheer its excavation - one leading Egyptologist said if it proved to be original, rather than a later reworking to resemble Ramses II, it would prove to be a significant find

EPA

Found last week by an Egyptian-German archaeological team, the statue weighs three tonnes - excavation will finish on Tuesday

Antiquities workers cover the head of a massive statue, that may be of pharaoh Ramses II, one of the country"s most famous ancient rulers, which was found in groundwater in a Cairo slum, Egypt, Monday, March 13, 2017

Another part of a statue - a large head - was extracted on Thursday last week

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