Ramses II Head With Royal Inscriptions Found in Egypt Suggests Statue of Pharaoh Believed To Challenge Moses

Ramses II statue fragments and inscriptions uncovered in Egypt’s Nile Delta may help researchers establish where the giant monuments originally stood (Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Facebook)

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has reported the discovery of a Ramses II head in the Nile Delta following a homeowner's alert about an inscribed stone. Officials estimate the complete statue may have stood approximately 28 feet (8.5 metres) tall.

Ramses II ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago and is popularly linked to the pharaoh in the biblical Book of Exodus. In that account, the ruler enslaves the Israelites and defies Moses, incurring God's wrath. The text does not name Ramses II, and the discovery does not establish that identification.