Amazing ancient Egyptian discovery found in Cairo slums

Credit: AP Photo/Amr Nabil

Credit: AP Photo/Amr Nabil

While the ancient Egyptian empire fell a millennia ago, discoveries from the time period are still being uncovered.

A team of archeologists from Egypt and Germany have found a colossal statue submerged in water in a Cairo slum, Reuters reported.

Experts, who say the statue could be one of the most important discoveries, believe it could be Pharaoh Ramses II.

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Also known as Ramses the Great, the pharaoh sat on the Egyptian throne from 1279 to 1213 BCE.

The statue, which was carved from quartzite, was discovered near the ruins of Ramses II's temple in what was called Heliopolis, a temple dedicated to the worship of the sun god Re or Ra.

Archaeologists used a forklift to pull a part of the massive statue out of the water.

The team also found a life-sized limestone statue of Seti II, Ramses the Great's grandson.

They will try to recover additional pieces of both statues and will attempt to restore them. If they put the ancient puzzle back together, and confirm that the larger statue is in fact Ramses the Great, it will be put on display at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum that is expected to open next year.

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