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An Egyptian farmer tending to his cucumbers stumbled upon an ancient stone that led archaeologists to a much bigger discovery.
They found the remains of two colossal statues believed to depict Ramses II, the pharaoh some scholars believe may have confronted Moses in the biblical Book of Exodus.
The finds were announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities earlier this month.
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The farmer found the inscribed stone while working in a cucumber greenhouse on his property in the village of Behbeit El-Hagar, according to Egyptian news outlet Youm7.
The man then alerted local archaeological authorities, who inspected the site and uncovered the remains of two statues during subsequent excavations, ministry officials said.
“One of the statues has been identified as depicting King Ramses II, while the other is also believed to represent the same pharaoh,” the translated statement read.
An Egyptian farmer’s discovery of an inscribed stone led archaeologists to two massive statues believed to depict Ramses II — seen at right. Some scholars associate him with Moses, depicted at left, and the biblical Exodus. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images; Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
“The mission additionally discovered a pink granite block bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions that include several of the king’s royal titles.”
Ramses II, who was born in 1303 B.C., was among the most powerful and influential pharaohs of ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom period.
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Some scholars have suggested that Ramses II was the pharaoh described in the Book of Exodus, although the Old Testament does not identify the ruler by name.
In the biblical account, the pharaoh refuses Moses’ demands to free the Israelites, leading to a series of devastating plagues. Ramses II died in 1213 B.C.
An Egyptian farmer’s discovery of an inscribed stone in a cucumber greenhouse led archaeologists to uncover two colossal statues believed to depict Ramses II. One is shown above. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
The first statue features a colossal head of Ramses II measuring more than 5 feet tall, officials said.
The pharaoh is depicted wearing a double crown, symbolizing the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, while an inscription on the statue’s back pillar bears one of his royal names.
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Archaeologists estimate the original statue, including its base, may have stood nearly 28 feet tall.
The second statue, also believed to depict Ramses II, measures nearly 8 feet long and is missing its legs and base.
Some scholars have suggested that Ramses II was the unnamed pharaoh who confronted Moses in the biblical Book of Exodus, though the identification remains uncertain. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; Culture Club/Getty Images)
“The statue’s head was also uncovered, with its facial features still clearly visible and well-preserved,” officials said of the second statue. “These features closely resemble those of the first statue.”
Excavations and archaeological studies at the site are ongoing, officials added.
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“These investigations are expected to help researchers develop a clearer understanding of the two statues, the area’s history and its architectural development during ancient Egyptian times,” the statement concluded.
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The discovery is the latest in a series of archaeological finds shedding new light on the ancient Egyptian ruler.
Archaeologists also discovered a pink granite block, seen above, bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions that include several royal titles associated with Ramses II. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
In a similar discovery, archaeologists in Egypt unearthed a massive statue believed to depict King Ramses II at a Nile Delta site northeast of Cairo earlier this year.
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Last year, Fox News Digital spoke with Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, an Egyptologist who identified ancient propaganda praising Ramses II on a 3,300-year-old obelisk in Paris’ Place de la Concorde.