The statue fragment was discovered at Tel Faraoun in Egypt's eastern Nile Delta during excavations led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, according to multiple reports. Researchers believe the statue may have been transported from Pi-Ramesses, the royal city of Ramesses II, and later moved to Tel Faraoun (ancient Emet) for reuse in a temple complex. Officials overseeing the dig said the fragment may have once formed part of a larger sculptural group depicting the king alongside Egyptian deities. Further study of the stone, carving techniques, and surface details could help pinpoint the statue's exact origin and how it was relocated, archaeologists said.
Ramesses II ruled from 1279 to 1213 BC and was known for his military power and strategic genius. Many historians associate him with the pharaoh described in the biblical Book of Exodus, though the Bible does not explicitly name the Pharaoh in the Exodus story. The identification is partly based on Exodus 1:1, which mentions Hebrew slaves building the city of 'Raamses' (Pi-Ramesses).