Egyptian Archaeologists Find 2,000-Year-Old Statue of King

A large granite statue discovered at Taposiris Magna may represent an ancient king, Ptolemy IV. (Supreme Council of Antiquities)

CAIRO — Archaeologists in Egypt say they have discovered a headless granite statue more than 2,000 years old belonging to an unidentified Ptolemaic-era king.

Tuesday's statement by the Supreme Council of Antiquities says an Egyptian-Dominican team made the discovery at the temple of Taposiris Magna, west of the coastal city of Alexandria.

Archaeology chief Zahi Hawass says the well-preserved statue may be among the most beautiful carvings in the ancient Egyptian style. He says the statue could belong to King Ptolemy IV.

The statue's height is 53 inches and its width at the shoulders is 22 inches.

Alexandria was the seat of the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic Dynasty, which ruled Egypt for 300 years, until the suicide of Queen Cleopatra.