While the discovery of a “Savannah Giant” is a fictional and sensationalized claim, the discovery of colossal, buried statues is a very real and ongoing part of modern archaeology. A prime example of such a monumental find occurred in 2017 in Egypt. Archaeologists working in the densely populated Matariya neighborhood of Cairo, an area built over the ancient city of Heliopolis, unearthed a massive, fragmented statue believed to be that of Pharaoh Ramesses II.

The discovery was a monumental feat, with the team carefully excavating the statue’s enormous head and other fragments from beneath the bustling urban environment. The statue, when fully reconstructed, is estimated to have stood over eight meters tall, making it a truly colossal monument.

This find, while not in a remote savannah, captivated the world and proved that major archaeological discoveries can still be made in unexpected places. The statue of Ramesses II, a true historical “giant,” offered a tangible link to one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs and provided a valuable new piece of evidence about the layout and history of the ancient city of Heliopolis. The real-world discoveries in archaeology are often more stunning than any fictional tale.