Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt announces restoration of granite head of Ramses II at Abydos temple
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said on Wednesday that a New York University archaeological mission has completed the restoration of a granite head of King Ramses II at his temple in Abydos, in the southern governorate of Sohag.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said the restoration is part of the ministry’s strategy to preserve Egypt’s archaeological heritage and present it appropriately to visitors. He added that the project reflects the success of ongoing scientific cooperation between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and international missions working in Egypt.
Hesham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the restoration was carried out under the council’s full supervision and according to international conservation standards. The team succeeded in precisely reassembling the king’s face and head, which had been separated from the royal headdress known as the nemes.
After the restoration, the head was mounted on a stone base at the entrance to the temple’s second pylon at a height that allows visitors to view it clearly, El-Leithy said. He noted that the installation enhances the visitor experience and highlights the artistic and aesthetic value of the piece.
Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the council, said the face of the statue was discovered in 1994 in the temple’s first court by an Egyptian team and moved to storage for study and conservation. Examination later showed that the face matched the nemes headdress previously found in the temple, prompting the decision to restore and reunite the pieces.
The face measures about 67 centimetres and weighs about 300 kilograms. It was found in good condition with traces of red and yellow pigments, and part of the king’s beard remains preserved. The nemes headdress weighs around one ton and retains remnants of yellow colouring, along with fragments of the royal cobra, or uraeus, at its front.
Samih Iskander, director of the NYU mission, said parts of the statue, including the legs and base, were discovered by the Egyptian team during the 1994–1995 excavation seasons. The NYU mission uncovered additional fragments in later seasons and plans to continue excavations in hopes of locating the remaining pieces and eventually reconstructing the full statue.