Photo: KONSTANTIN AKIMOV / iStock
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced the discovery of a huge statue, believed to depict King Ramses II, during archaeological work carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities at the Tell El-Faraoun site in the centre of El-Husseiniya in the Sharqia Governorate.
According to Sada El-Balad, a partner of TV BRICS, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Hisham El-Leithy, confirmed that this discovery is one of the most significant archaeological findings, shedding light on royal activities in the Eastern Delta region and contributing to an understanding of the phenomenon of the relocation and reuse of royal statues during the New Kingdom, particularly in the context of the connection between regional monuments and major royal centres.
The discovered statue is strikingly large: it weighs between 5 and 6 tonnes and is approximately 2.20 metres long. Despite its relatively poor state of preservation, the remaining fragments display artistic and royal features, suggesting that it depicts King Ramses II, though the lower section. It was part of a triad similar to previous finds at several archaeological sites in the Sharqia Governorate.
In this regard, Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that preliminary studies indicate the statue was moved in ancient times from the city of Pi-Ramesses to the site of Tell El-Faraoun, known in antiquity as Imet.
To preserve the find, the statue was immediately transported to a museum storage facility in the San el-Hagar area as part of preparations for the commencement of thorough and urgent restoration work in accordance with the highest scientific standards. It is worth noting that a stone tablet was discovered at the same site last September, representing a new version of the famous Decree of Canopus, issued by King Ptolemy III in 238 BC for distribution in the main temples.
Significant archaeological and scientific activity is also taking place in the BRICS countries, revealing the secrets of ancient times.
In China, the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Geological Survey and Exploration announced the discovery of a small fossilised dinosaur egg in Jiangxi Province, which has officially entered the Guinness World Records as the smallest non-avian dinosaur egg ever found.
Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS, reported that the fossil, measuring 29.93 mm at its largest, dates back to the Late Cretaceous period (over 80 million years ago). Researchers have classified it as a new genus and species, Minioolithus ganzhouensis, confirming its membership of the non-avian theropod group, which will enhance humanity’s understanding of dinosaur evolution during that era.
In Brazil, researchers from the Federal University of Santa Maria have discovered a new species of reptile that lived during the Triassic period. According to Metrópoles, a partner of TV BRICS, the fossilised skull was found in 2020 in the municipality of Agudo, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This creature belongs to the rhinosaurid group – herbivorous reptiles characterised by a pointed beak, similar to that of a parrot, which they use to cut plants and search for roots. Scientists have named the new species Isodapedon varzealis, making it the sixth known species of rhinosaurid to have lived during that era.
In BRICS+ countries researchers are expanding knowledge of prehistoric biodiversity through new fossil discoveries that highlight the region’s ancient ecosystems.
In Chile, researchers in the municipality of Renaico, in the province of La Araucania, have discovered the fossilised remains of capybara ancestors, marking the first time these rodents have been found on Chilean soil from millions of years ago. According to Metrópoles, a partner of TV BRICS, the remains, which included a molar, incisors and parts of the pelvis, were found during the construction of a wind farm. Researcher Karina Bouldrini confirms that these “giant pigs” were significantly larger than their modern counterparts, weighed around 300 kilograms and reached two metres in length, suggesting that a diverse ecosystem once existed in this region, comprising both wetlands and open spaces.