Archaeologists
from Egypt and Germany found the massive eight-metre statue - believed to be of
Ramsis II - submerged in ground-water in Cairo last week, and used a winch to
recover it. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.
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The newly discovered statue suggested to be for King Ramses II.
Photo by Magdi Abdel Sayed
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In
the wake of the discovery of a colossal statue assumed to be Ramses II in Cairo
earlier this week, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass refuted local media reports that
charged the use of a winch to haul part of the monument out of the pit it was
found in damaged the artefact.
Hawass,
a former antiquities minister, told Ahram Online that using a winch was “the
only efficient way” to remove the 7-ton piece of the statue from the two-metre
ditch. “Souq El-Khamis area in Matariya where the statue was discovered is a
very important archaeological site which does not have any complete statues,
tombs or temples,” Hawass said.
Initial
reports by some Egyptian media outlets had suggested that the winch had damaged
the statue, or had broken it into pieces. However, according to ministry
officials, the statue was discovered already in pieces.
Archaeologists
from Egypt and Germany found the massive eight-metre statue submerged in ground
water last week, which they say probably depicts revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who
ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
The
discovery, hailed by the antiquities ministry as one of the most important
ever, was made near the ruins of Ramses II's temple in the ancient city of
Heliopolis, located in the eastern part of modern-day Cairo in the
working-class neighbourhood of Matariya.
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Head of the newly discovered statue of king Seti II.
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The
site was subjected to deterioration and damage during Egypt’s Christian period
because the area was used as a quarry for constructing other buildings, Hawass
said. “It is impossible to find any complete full-sized statue,” Hawass said,
adding that any statue that would be uncovered in the future will be found in
pieces, like this one.
He
argued that the Matariya area, a poor suburb of Cairo, suffers from three main
problems. Its modern residential houses were built on top of the remains of
ancient Egyptian temples and tombs which are submerged in subterranean water
extended from two to four metres deep. “This is a fact that made it too
difficult to transport or remove any of the blocks [from these structures].”
Hawass
told Ahram Online that he called the German excavation mission head, Dietrich
Raue, who sent him a complete report on the excavations with photographs
revealing the lifting process. “The transportation and removal process of any
heavy colossus like the one discovered is carried out in collaboration with the
head of workmen from the upper Egyptian town of Qift who are skilled and very
highly trained in such work,” Hawass said.
Hawass
explained that similar workmen work in the Saqqara necropolis and belong to the
El-Krity family, who have been able to transport and lift up a large number of
huge sarcophagi and colossi that each could reach 20 tons.
Hawass
also said that the newly discovered statue definitely belongs to the 19th
dynasty king, Ramses II, because it was found at the entrance to his temple. He
noted that the area, in which he had carried out excavations, held the remains
of temples belonging to pharaohs Akhenaton, Thutmose III and Ramses II. “I am
very happy to hear about such a discovery because it will not only reveal a
part of ancient Egyptian history but it will also help promote tourism to
Egypt,” Hawass said.
Tarek
Tawfik, supervisor general of the GEM, said the new batch of artifacts includes
dried and mummified seeds and fruits, as well as several model boats crafted
from wood and a small wooden chair painted in white plaster.
