This colossal statue of Ramesses II, also known as the illustrious Ramesses the Great (c. 1279–1213 B.C.), is hewn from radiant red granite quarried at Aswan. It was unearthed in 1820 by the Italian explorer Giovanni Battista Caviglia at Mit Rahina, ancient Memphis, where it once stood proudly on the southern flank of the Temple...
Among the windswept cliffs of the Valley of the Queens lies the shattered splendour of one of Egypt’s most magnificent tombs. It belonged to Nefertari, Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II, the pharaoh who would come to be known as “the Great”. Revered not only for her beauty but for her wisdom and influence at...
In the mortuary temple of Ramesses II known as the Ramesseum at Thebes, the walls are alive with scenes not merely of conquest, but of sustenance, renewal, and divine favour. Among these reliefs is a particularly charming composition in which the king appears not once, but twice, in the embrace of a sacred tree. To...
The Bentresh Stela (also called the Stela of Bakhtan) is one of the most intriguing narrative monuments from Ancient Egypt, blending elements of myth, political theology, and religious propaganda. Though it claims to describe events during the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 B.C.), modern scholars agree that it was erected centuries later, during the...
In the annals of ancient diplomacy and warfare, few events stand as prominently as the Battle of Kadesh and the treaty that followed it. Fought circa 1274 B.C., this monumental confrontation between two great Bronze Age powers, Egypt under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II, is widely regarded not only for its...
This piece, fashioned from Egyptian Blue and gold, presents a striking image of the head of a Nubian man engulfed by the jaws of a lion. Though compact in scale, the piece is monumental in its ideological intent. Most likely the terminal of a ceremonial fly whisk or whip, the handle is more than decorative;...
The story of the Ramesside family is one of remarkable social ascent, a lineage that began with distinguished military service and culminated in some of the most celebrated reigns in Ancient Egyptian history. Unlike many royal houses before them, the Ramessides did not inherit the throne through divine birthright or ancient bloodlines. Instead, they rose...
The Egyptian military estimated the number of those killed in front of the king soon after combat ended by displaying the severed hands of the deceased enemy. This was all but a theory based upon ancient reliefs until 2012 when archaeologists excavating at the modern site of Avaris, Tell el-Daba, unearthed 16 human right hands...
Ipuy was a sculptor and artist who worked during the reign of Ramesses II. His tomb (TT217) is located on the upper terrace of the western cemetery at Deir el-Medina, which was the burial site for the workers, craftsmen, and officials who lived in the Worker’s Village of Deir el-Medina. The Egyptian artistic profession, particularly...
The Sons of the King in their Chariots at the Battle of Kadesh New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II, c. 1264–1244 B.C. Scene from Abu Simbel. Facsimile by Egyptologist Ippolito Rosellini (1800-1843), “I Monumenti dell’Egitto e della Nubia“, first published in 1832. This facsimile of princes on chariots documents an image from within...
