Oven of Ramesses II

Among the precious artifacts in the royal tomb of Psusennes I at Tanis, a bronze brazier, or oven, belonging to Ramesses II was found.

It might have been an important object deposited in a palace or a temple in the vicinity of Tanis, or at Thebes. It was taken to Tanis as a sacred artifact of Ramesses II, and as a token of veneration and respect for that great king.

Rameses II’s stove was studied by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence techniques; chemical treatment and conservation processes were then applied. The corrosion products covering the surface of the stove were found to be atacamite, paratacamite, calumetite, malachite and, in some patches, azurite. The stove proved to consist of cast bronze, with a small amount of lead and traces of iron, probably due to impurities in the ores.

The upper surface of the stove has four similar circular holes, which lie in a line, as temperature regulators, as well as five old soldering points which were made by ancient Egyptians using cold V-type hammering.

The written text is a dedication by Ramesses II to the temple gods on the occasion of one of his Sed festivals. It could have been used for sacred preparations, in a temple. 

Made of bronze. Height 24 cm, width 26.5 cm. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 85910