The Ministry of Antiquities is gearing up to complete the remainder of the excavation of the Ramses II statue using newer and safer techniques, informed sources in the ministry said.
This move comes following sharp criticism about the poor method by which the head was extracted on Thursday; it was also left aside without proper precautions against residents in the area tampering with it.
The eight-meter statue was found submerged in ground water in the Matariya area in Ain Shams district by a joint German-Egyptian archaeological mission operating in Matareya area at the site of King Ramses II Temple which he built at in Oan City in Ancient Egypt.
The discovery included parts from two statues of two kings, one of which is likely King Ramses II, belonging to the 19th Dynasty.
Rumors that same day alleged that the use of heavy machinery and diggers in the site has led to the destruction of the statue, claims that the German-Egyptian mission have denied.
Mahmoud Afify, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said only the head of the statue was lifted with a crane due to its excessively heavy weight.
Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anany said the discovery is one of the most important recent archaeological discoveries, as it demonstrates the greatness of the temple in ancient times in terms of the magnitude of the building and the statues that were adorned by fine, precise patterns and inscriptions.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
