Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damati

The bottom part of an archaeological limestone statue of a woman has been found on the western border of Akhmim city in Sohag, Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el Damati said Wednesday.
The part of the statue was seized by tourism police, Damati said.
A team of archaeologists was formed to examine the piece. They issued a report stressing it is an ancient artifact, the minister said.
An initial probe revealed that the item was found during digging operations at a residential tower in Akhmim city and was thrown away near the western border of the city.
Sensors are now used to detect if the digging site contains any more artifacts, Damati said.
The seized item is 140 centimeters high and its width measures 56 centimeters, said Gamal Abdel Nasser, the director general of the antiquities sector in Sohag.
It represents the bottom part of a seated lady and its left side bears Hieroglyphic carvings of the titles of King Ramses II, Abdel Nasser said.