Conservation specialists at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Cairo, have completed restoration work on a black basalt stele of King Ramses II from the New Kingdom era. The piece has been on display in the museum for more than a hundred years.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the work forms part of a wider plan to redesign how the museum presents its holdings. He said pieces are being rearranged to reflect their proper historical, cultural and religious context, matching modern approaches to museum display.
El-Leithy said the stele measures 240 centimeters (94.5 inches) in length and 110 centimeters (43.3 inches) in width. He noted it was originally discovered in two separate pieces and had previously been joined together and restored.
Restoring the Ramses II basalt stele and dispelling cement rumors
Ali Abdel Halim, general director of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, said the stele was relocated as part of the new display plan and now stands between two other stelae depicting Ramses II.
He said conservators removed old restoration materials and a wooden support that had been placed around the piece during earlier work. The seams between its sections were treated, and it was displayed freestanding, with panoramic lighting added to highlight its details.
Abdel Halim said restoration of the Ramses II basalt stele was carried out by specialists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, following established scientific protocols and technical standards. He rejected claims spreading on social media that cement had been used in the process, saying no cement was used at any stage.
He added that photographs circulating online were taken while restoration was still underway, not after its completion, and do not show the stele’s finished condition.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, through the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said it continues routine restoration and maintenance work across the country’s museums to preserve artifacts and keep them on view for visitors, following current scientific and museum standards.
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