Ostracon of Ramesses III crushing an enemy
One of the most typical royal scenes is reproduced on this illustrated ostracon, king Ramesses III in the act of crushing the defeated enemy. The scene was widely used on pylons and external walls of temples.
On this piece the king is shown upright, his head adorned with red crown topped by the two feathers and the ram’s horn; leaning forward, he grasps the tightly bound arms of a kneeling Nubian captive with both hands.
The prisoner’s ethnic group is identified by the typical garb with large festooned neckpiece and by his short curly hair. In front of the king there are two cartouches containing the king’s name over a short line of text: “The Lord of the Two Lands, Usermaatre Meryamun, the Lord of the Two Lands, Ramesses, the one who crushes the foreign lands”.
Ostracon, the Greek term for potsherd, is used by Egyptologists to refer to sherds of pottery or limestone flakes, which were used as a cheap and readily available material on which write or draw.
The text and drawings often consist of letters, bills, personal notes, inventories, sketches and scribal exercises, but also of literary texts, like love poems and wisdom texts.
Ramesses III had significant interactions with the Nubians, who were a neighboring people to the south of Egypt. During Ramesses III’s reign, there were both diplomatic and military engagements between Egypt and Nubia.
There is evidence of trade and cultural exchange between Egypt and Nubia during Ramesses III’s reign. Nubia was a source of valuable resources such as gold, ivory, and exotic goods, which were highly sought after by the Egyptians. This trade relationship contributed to the economic prosperity of both regions.
Ramesses III’s interactions with the Nubians involved both military cooperation and economic ties, reflecting the complex dynamics between ancient Egypt and its southern neighbors.
New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses III, ca. 1186-1155 BC. Dimensions: 32.5 x 24.5 x 5 cm. Limestone with black ink drawing. From Deir el-Medina. Schiaparelli excavations, 1905. Now in the Egyptian Museum of Turin. S. 6279
