The 4,700-year old skeletal remains are believed to be that of the Third Dynasty ruler Sanakht who towered over the people he ruled.

The bones were discovered in an elite tomb which was the custom for rulers at the time, suggesting that the ancient king was not given any preferential treatment for his relatively gigantic size.

Despite the suggestion that Sanakht was a mythical creature, researchers state the pharaoh suffered from gigantism – and they add that his is likely the oldest recorded case in the world.

Gigantism causes an individual to become much taller than the average and also rapidly expands feet, hand forehead jaw and nose.