‘Messi’ statue from Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty discovered at Saqqara

A unique ancient Egyptian statue named Messi, belonging to the Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty has been discovered at the Saqqara necropolis. Scholars say it is the only known example of its kind from the Old Kingdom.

The Messi statue, unrelated to the modern footballer, shows a noble man standing with an advancing left foot as his tiny wife and even tinier daughter clinched to its leg.

According to a study published in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, researchers claim that the 40 inches statue appears to depict a prominent nobleman, symbolizing youth, vitality and strength.

Experts wrote, “The tiny woman holding on to his right leg appears to be his wife where a little girl behind the man is presumably his daughter.”

Messi was discovered in 2021 from the site where Egyptians buried their nobles during ancient times.

Based on its design, archaeologists concluded that the statue belongs to the time when historical pyramids were being built in the kingdom, possibly dating back to the Fifth Dynasty.

A senior author of the paper Zahi Hawass, who also served as former antiquities minister, told Live Science, “The statue was hidden under the sand and a nearby false door has an inscription that read ‘Messi’.

Sarah Abdoh, a co-author of the study, declared the discovery to be unparalleled in the field of Egyptian art, adding, “It stands apart from other known family statues of the Old Kingdom.”