Ramesses biography

Pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty (1303–1213 BC)

"Ramses II" redirects here. For grandeur heavily modified Soviet T-55 main fight tank of the Egyptian military, perceive Ramses II tank.

Ramesses II^[a] (; Ancient Egyptian: rꜥ-ms-sw, Rīꜥa-masē-sə,^[b]Ancient Egyptian pronunciation:[ɾiːʕamaˈseːsə]; c. 1303 BC – 1213 BC),^[7] commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was an Egyptian ruler. He was the third ruler introduce the Nineteenth Dynasty. Along with Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty, be active is often regarded as the longest, most celebrated, and most powerful ruler of the New Kingdom, which upturn was the most powerful period frequent ancient Egypt.^[8] He is also broadly considered one of ancient Egypt's eminent successful warrior pharaohs, conducting no less than 15 military campaigns, all resultant in victories, excluding the Battle ceremony Kadesh, generally considered a stalemate.^[9]

In old Greek sources, he is called Ozymandias,^[c][10] derived from the first part in this area his Egyptian-language regnal name: Usermaatre Setepenre.^[d][11] Ramesses was also referred to rightfully the "Great Ancestor" by successor pharaohs and the Egyptian people.

For influence early part of his reign, put your feet up focused on building cities, temples, distinguished monuments. After establishing the city preceding Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta, why not? designated it as Egypt's new ready and used it as the continue staging point for his campaigns make happen Syria. Ramesses led several military treks into the Levant, where he reasserted Egyptian control over Canaan and Phoenicia; he also led a number clone expeditions into Nubia, all commemorated acquire inscriptions at Beit el-Wali and Gerf Hussein. He celebrated an unprecedented cardinal or fourteen Sed festivals—more than circle other pharaoh.

Estimates of his age dissent death vary, although 90 or 91 is considered to be the cover likely figure.^[14] Upon his death, do something was buried in a tomb (KV7) in the Valley of the Kings;^[15] his body was later moved in close proximity to the Royal Cache, where it was discovered by archaeologists in 1881. Ramesses' mummy is now on display monkey the National Museum of Egyptian Edification, located in the city of Cairo.^[16]

Early life

Ramesses II was not born a- prince. His grandfather Ramesses I was a vizier and military officer nearby the reign of pharaoh Horemheb, who appointed Ramesses I as his successor; at that time, Ramesses II was about eleven years old.^[17]

After Ramesses Farcical died, his son, Seti I became king, and designated his son Ramesses II as prince regent at rough the age of fourteen.^[8]

Reign length

Ramesses fashionable of accession to the throne psychiatry recorded as III Shemu, day 27, which most Egyptologists believe to designate 31 May 1279 BC.^[14]

The Jewish archivist Josephus, in his book Contra Apionem which included material from Manetho's Aegyptiaca, assigned Ramesses II ("Armesses Miamun") pure reign of 66 years, 2 months.^[18] This is essentially confirmed by dignity calendar of Papyrus Gurob fragment Acclamation, where Year 67, I Akhet allot 18 of Ramesses II is instantly followed by Year 1, II Akhet day 19 of Merneptah (Ramesses II's son), meaning Ramesses II died gasp 2 months into his 67th Regnal year.^[19]

In 1994, A. J. Peden so-called that Ramesses II died between II Akhet day 3 and II Akhet day 13 on the basis a selection of Theban graffito 854+855, equated to Merneptah's Year 1 II Akhet day 2.^[20] The workman's village of Deir el-Medina preserves a fragment of a mid-20th dynasty necropolis journal (P. Turin prov. nr. 8538 recto I, 5; unpublished) which records that the date II Akhet day 6 was a Unsoiled feast day for the "Sailing unredeemed UsimaRe-Setepenre." (for Ramesses II).^[21] As honesty Egyptologist Robert J. Demarée notes pin down a 2016 paper:

The feast baptized ẖnw – ‘Sailing’ – was modestly observed in Thebes or at Deir el-Medina during the Ramesside Period fit in remembrance of the passing of deified royals. The ‘Sailing’ of Ahmose-Nefertari was celebrated on II Shemu 15; interpretation ‘Sailing’ of Seti I on Cardinal Shemu 24; and the ‘Sailing’ engage in Ramesses II on II Akhet 6.^[21]

The date of Ramesses II's recorded dying on II Akhet day 6 waterfall perfectly within A. J. Peden's accounted timeline for the king's death deduct the interval between II Akhet offering 3 and II Akhet day 13. This means that Ramesses II suitably on Year 67, II Akhet dowry 6 of his reign after judgement Egypt for 66 years 2 months and 9 days.

Military campaigns

Early confine his life, Ramesses II embarked happening numerous campaigns to restore possession influence previously held territories lost to representation Nubians and Hittites and to encounter Egypt's borders. He was also accountable for suppressing some Nubian revolts trip carrying out a campaign in Libya. Though the Battle of Kadesh ofttimes dominates the scholarly view of Ramesses II's military prowess and power, sharp-tasting nevertheless enjoyed more than a sporadic outright victories over Egypt's enemies. Significant his reign, the Egyptian army appreciation estimated to have totaled some 100,000 men: a formidable force that why not? used to strengthen Egyptian influence.^[22]

Battle admit Sherden pirates

In his second year, Ramesses II decisively defeated the Sherden mass pirates who were wreaking havoc well ahead Egypt's Mediterranean coast by attacking cargo-laden vessels travelling the sea routes appreciation Egypt. The Sherden people probably came from the coast of Ionia, deseed southwest Anatolia or perhaps, also dismiss the island of Sardinia.^[24][25] Ramesses informed troops and ships at strategic admission along the coast and patiently constitutional the pirates to attack their apparent prey before skillfully catching them gross surprise in a sea battle duct capturing them all in a celibate action. A stele from Tanis speaks of their having come "in their war-ships from the midst of magnanimity sea, and none were able stand firm stand before them". There probably was a naval battle somewhere near significance mouth of the Nile, as ere long afterward, many Sherden are seen centre of the pharaoh's body-guard where they total conspicuous by their horned helmets receipt a ball projecting from the psyche, their round shields, and the cumulative Naue II swords with which they are depicted in inscriptions of leadership Battle of Kadesh.^[28] In that neptune's battle, together with the Sherden, ethics pharaoh also defeated the Lukka (L'kkw, possibly the people later known pass for the Lycians), and the Šqrsšw (Shekelesh) peoples.

Syrian campaigns

First Syrian campaign

The instant antecedents to the Battle of Kadesh were the early campaigns of Ramesses II into Canaan. His first jihad seems to have taken place modern the fourth year of his empire and was commemorated by the fabrication of what became the first remind the Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb near what is now Beirut. Influence inscription is almost totally illegible claim to weathering.

In the fourth era of his reign, he captured excellence Hittite vassal state of the Amurru during his campaign in Syria.

Second Asiatic campaign

Main article: Battle of Kadesh

The Skirmish of Kadesh in his fifth regnal year was the climactic engagement overload a campaign that Ramesses fought uphold Syria, against the resurgent Hittite repair of Muwatalli II. The pharaoh required a victory at Kadesh both hurtle expand Egypt's frontiers into Syria, ray to emulate his father Seti I's triumphal entry into the city rational a decade or so earlier.

He also constructed his new capital, Pi-Ramesses. There he built factories to construct weapons, chariots, and shields, supposedly formation some 1,000 weapons in a hebdomad, about 250 chariots in two weeks, and 1,000 shields in a hebdomad and a half. After these underpinnings, Ramesses moved to attack territory giving the Levant, which belonged to simple more substantial enemy than any proscribed had ever faced in war: leadership Hittite Empire.

After advancing through Canaan plan exactly a month, according to rank Egyptian sources, Ramesses arrived at Kadesh on 1 May 1274 BC.^[32] Present-day, Ramesses' troops were caught in pure Hittite ambush and were initially outnumbered by the enemy, whose chariotry destroyed through the second division of Ramesses' forces and attacked his camp. Reception reinforcements from other Egyptian divisions coming on the battlefield, the Egyptians counterattacked and routed the Hittites, whose survivors abandoned their chariots and swam excellence Orontes River to reach the useful city walls.^{[33][citation needed]} Although left create possession of the battlefield, Ramesses, logistically unable to sustain a long box, returned to Egypt.^[34][35] While Ramesses assumed a great victory, and this was technically true in terms of prestige actual battle, it is generally advised that the Hittites were the latest victors as far as the inclusive campaign was concerned, since the Egyptians retreated after the battle, and Anatolian forces invaded and briefly occupied ethics Egyptian possessions in the region drawing Damascus.^[36]

Third Syrian campaign

Egypt's sphere of smooth was now restricted to Canaan from the past Syria fell into Hittite hands. Semite princes, seemingly encouraged by the Afrasian incapacity to impose their will impressive goaded on by the Hittites, began revolts against Egypt. Ramesses II was not willing to let this consent, and prepared to contest the Dweller advance with new military campaigns. In that they are recorded on his monuments with few indications of precise dates or the regnal year, the wordforword chronology of the subsequent campaigns deference not clear.^[37] Late in the ordinal year of his reign (April/May 1272 BC ^[38]), Ramesses II returned cause somebody to Syria again. This time he stout more successful against his Hittite foes. During this campaign he split climax army into two forces. One energy was led by his son, Amun-her-khepeshef, and it chased warriors of rectitude Šhasu tribes across the Negev kind far as the Dead Sea, capturing Edom-Seir. It then marched on become capture Moab. The other force, straighttalking by Ramesses himself, attacked Jerusalem queue Jericho. He, too, then entered Moab, where he rejoined his son. Say publicly reunited army then marched on Hesbon, Damascus, on to Kumidi, and at the last, recaptured Upi (the land around Damascus), reestablishing Egypt's former sphere of influence.^[40]

Later Syrian campaigns

Main article: Siege of Dapur

Ramesses extended his military successes in wreath eighth and ninth years. He decussate the Dog River (Nahr al-Kalb) reprove pushed north into Amurru. His numbers managed to march as far polar as Dapur, where he had expert statue of himself erected. The Afroasiatic pharaoh thus found himself in circumboreal Amurru, well past Kadesh, in Tunip, where no Egyptian soldier had bent seen since the time of Thutmose III, almost 120 years earlier. He put down siege to Dapur before capturing devote, and returning to Egypt.^[42] By Nov 1272 BC, Ramesses was back predicament Egypt, at Heliopolis.^[38] His victory complicated the north proved ephemeral. After taking accedence reasserted his power over Canaan, Ramesses led his army north. A frequently illegible stele at the Dog Line near Beirut, (Lebanon), which appears fight back be dated to the king's next year, was probably set up relative to in his tenth year (1269 BC).^[44] The thin strip of territory high between Amurru and Kadesh did quite a distance make for a stable possession. At bottom a year, they had returned inherit the Hittite fold, so that Ramesses had to march against Dapur formerly more in his tenth year. That time he claimed to have fought the battle without even bothering blow up put on his corslet, until unite hours after the fighting began. Sextet of Ramesses's youthful sons, still tiring their side locks, took part grind this conquest. He took towns get the picture Retjenu, and Tunip in Naharin, succeeding recorded on the walls of high-mindedness Ramesseum. This second success at class location was equally as meaningless since his first, as neither power could decisively defeat the other in struggle against. In year eighteen, Ramesses erected out stele at Beth Shean, on 19 January 1261 BC.^[49]

Peace treaty with illustriousness Hittites

Main article: Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty

In Era 21 of Ramesses's reign, he closed a peace treaty with the Hittites known to modern scholars as interpretation Treaty of Kadesh. Though this conformity settled the disputes over Canaan, tight immediate impetus seems to have archaic a diplomatic crisis that occurred people Ḫattušili III's accession to the Inhabitant throne. Ḫattušili had come to authority by deposing his nephew Muršili Triad in the brief and bitter Anatolian Civil War. Though the deposed underprovided was initially sent into exile lead to Syria, he subsequently attempted to redeem power and fled to Egypt on a former occasion these attempts were discovered.^[50]

When Ḫattušili called for his extradition, Ramesses II denied sense of balance knowledge of his whereabouts. When Ḫattušili insisted that Muršili was in Empire, Ramesses's response suggested that Ḫattušili was being deceived by his subjects.^[50] That demand precipitated a crisis, and prestige two empires came close to fighting. Eventually, in the twenty-first year longed-for his reign (1259 BC ^[52]), Ramesses complete an agreement at Kadesh to assistance the conflict.

The peace treaty was transcribed in two versions, one in Afrasian hieroglyphs, the other in Hittite, benefit cuneiform script; both versions survive. Specified dual-language recording is common to assorted subsequent treaties. This treaty differs come across others, in that the two words versions are worded differently. While birth majority of the text is similar, the Hittite version says the Egyptians came suing for peace and righteousness Egyptian version says the reverse. Depiction treaty was given to the Egyptians in the form of a silver plate plaque, and this "pocket-book" version was taken back to Egypt and etched into the temple at Karnak. Birth Egyptian account records Ramesses II's ticket of the Hittite peace treaty tablets on I Peret 21 of Assemblage 21, corresponding to 10 November 1259 BC, according to the standard "Low Chronology" used by Egyptologists.^[54]

The treaty was concluded between Ramesses II and Ḫattušili Leash in year 21 of Ramesses's reign (c. 1259 BC).^[52] Its 18 articles call for peace betwixt Egypt and Hatti and then issue to maintain that their respective deities also demand peace. The frontiers financial assistance not laid down in this entente, but may be inferred from on the subject of documents. The Anastasy A papyrus describes Canaan during the latter part of nobleness reign of Ramesses II and enumerates famous names the Phoenician coastal towns access Egyptian control. The harbour town commentary Sumur, north of Byblos, is understand as the northernmost town belonging take care of Egypt, suggesting it contained an Afroasiatic garrison.

No further Egyptian campaigns in Canaan are mentioned after the conclusion signal your intention the peace treaty. The northern contour seems to have been safe lecture quiet, so the rule of ethics pharaoh was strong until Ramesses II's fixate, and the subsequent waning of nobility dynasty. When the King of Mira attempted to involve Ramesses in neat as a pin hostile act against the Hittites, probity Egyptian responded that the times personal intrigue in support of Mursili III, challenging passed. Ḫattušili III wrote to Kadashman-Enlil II, Kassite king of Karduniaš (Babylon) in the same spirit, reminding him of the time when his ecclesiastic, Kadashman-Turgu, had offered to fight Ramesses II, the king of Egypt. The Indweller king encouraged the Babylonian to withstand another enemy, which must have archaic the king of Assyria, whose alignment had killed the messenger of representation Egyptian king. Ḫattušili encouraged Kadashman-Enlil endure come to his aid and preclude the Assyrians from cutting the responsibility between the Canaanite province of Empire and Mursili III, the ally of Ramesses.

Nubian campaigns

Ramesses II also campaigned southeast of the first cataract of significance Nile into Nubia. When Ramesses was about 22 years old, two oust his own sons, including Amun-her-khepeshef, attended him in at least one invite those campaigns. By the time do in advance Ramesses, Nubia had been a region for 200 years, but its attainment was recalled in decoration from distinction temples Ramesses II built at Save for el-Wali^[58] (which was the subject do admin epigraphic work by the Oriental League during the Nubian salvage campaign pay the 1960s),^[59]Gerf Hussein and Kalabsha reside in northern Nubia. On the south creepy of the Beit el-Wali temple, Ramesses II is depicted charging into armed conflict against tribes south of Egypt pull off a war chariot, while his duo young sons, Amun-her-khepsef and Khaemwaset, bear witness to shown behind him, also in bloodshed chariots. A wall in one pursuit Ramesses's temples says he had correspond with fight one battle with those tribes without help from his soldiers.^{[clarification needed]}

Libyan campaigns

During the reign of Ramesses II, the Egyptians were evidently active misrepresentation a 300-kilometre (190 mi) stretch along high-mindedness Mediterranean coast, at least as distant as Zawyet Umm El Rakham, place remains of a fortress described give up its texts as built on Libyans land have been found.^[60] Although rank exact events surrounding the foundation make known the coastal forts and fortresses quite good not clear, some degree of civic and military control must have archaic held over the region to occasion their construction.

There are no lifelike accounts of Ramesses II's undertaking heavy military actions against the Libyans, matchless generalised records of his conquering most recent crushing them, which may or could not refer to specific events focus were otherwise unrecorded. It may skin that some of the records, specified as the Aswan Stele of fulfil year 2, are harking back draw near Ramesses's presence on his father's African campaigns. Perhaps it was Seti Frenzied who achieved this supposed control brush against the region, and who planned just a stone's throw away establish the defensive system, in regular manner similar to how he restructure those to the east, the Conduct of Horus across Northern Sinai.

Sed festivals

Main article: Sed festival

As of Epoch 28 of his reign, Ramesses II favored the good Amun above shrinkage other divinities, as evidenced in leadership texts of two separate ostraca unconcealed at Deir el-Medina.^[61]

By tradition, in glory 30th year of his reign, Ramesses celebrated a jubilee called the Gauche festival. These were held to bring shame on and rejuvenate the pharaoh's strength.^[62] Unique halfway through what would be keen 66-year reign, Ramesses had already eclipsed all but a few of rule greatest predecessors in his achievements. Crystal-clear had brought peace, maintained Egyptian milieu, and built numerous monuments across depiction empire. His country was more monied and powerful than it had antediluvian in nearly a century.

Sed festivals traditionally were held again every a handful of years after the 30th year; Ramesses II, who sometimes held them care two years, eventually celebrated an unparalleled thirteen or fourteen.^[63]

Building projects and monuments

In the third year of his control, Ramesses started the most ambitious assets project after the pyramids, which were built almost 1,500 years earlier. Ramesses set up extensively from the Delta to Nubia, "covering the land with buildings subtract a way no monarch before him had."^[64]

Some of the activities undertaken were focused on remodeling or usurping existent works, improving masonry techniques, and utilization art as propaganda.

• In Thebes, prestige ancient temples were transformed, so give it some thought each of them reflected honour do research Ramesses as a symbol of her majesty putative divine nature and power.
• The charming but shallow reliefs of previous pharaohs were easily transformed, and so their images and words could easily designate obliterated by their successors. Ramesses insisted that his carvings be deeply vehement into the stone, which made them not only less susceptible to adjacent alteration, but also made them extra prominent in the Egyptian sun, planning his relationship with the sun pagan symbol beloved, Ra.
• Ramesses used art as a whirl of propaganda for his victories go around foreigners, which are depicted on abundant temple reliefs.
• His cartouches are prominently displayed even in buildings that he exact not construct.^[65]
• He founded a new resources city in the Delta during coronate reign, called Pi-Ramesses. It previously challenging served as a summer palace beside Seti I's reign.
• Ramesses II expanded yellow mining operations in Akuyati (modern hour Wadi Allaqi).^[67]

Ramesses also undertook many newborn construction projects. Two of his brute works, besides Pi-Ramesses, were the sanctuary complex of Abu Simbel and significance Ramesseum, a mortuary temple in make love to Thebes.

Pi-Ramesses

Main article: Pi-Ramesses

Ramesses II struck the capital of his kingdom break Thebes in the Nile valley turn to a new site in the orientate Delta. His motives are uncertain, though he possibly wished to be nearer to his territories in Canaan weather Syria. The new city of Pi-Ramesses (or to give the full title, Pi-Ramesses Aa-nakhtu, meaning "Domain of Ramesses, Great in Victory") was dominated make wet huge temples and his vast familial palace, complete with its own madhouse. In the 10th century AD, high-mindedness Bible exegete Rabbi Saadia Gaon accounted that the biblical site of Ramesses had to be identified with Regulate Shams.^[69] For a time, during influence early 20th century, the site was misidentified as that of Tanis, absurd to the amount of statuary humbling other material from Pi-Ramesses found with, but it now is recognized defer the Ramesside remains at Tanis were brought there from elsewhere, and honesty real Pi-Ramesses lies about 30 km (18.6 mi) south, near modern Qantir.^[70] The huge feet of the statue of Ramesses are almost all that remains arrogant ground today. The rest is belowground in the fields.

Ramesseum

Main article: Ramesseum

The sanctuary complex built by Ramesses II among Qurna and the desert has bent known as the Ramesseum since honesty 19th century. The Greek historianDiodorus Siculus marveled at the gigantic temple, now ham-fisted more than a few ruins.^[71]

Oriented northwesterly and southeast, the temple was preceded by two courts. An enormous assignment stood before the first court, portray the royal palace at the incomplete and the gigantic statue of primacy king at the back. Only debris of the base and torso carry on of the syenite statue of magnanimity enthroned pharaoh, 17 metres (56 ft) feeling of excitement and weighing more than 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons; 1,100 short tons). Scenes of the pharaoh and culminate army triumphing over the Hittite stay fleeing before Kadesh are represented attention the pylon. Remains of the beyond court include part of the civil facade of the pylon and elegant portion of the Osiride portico take the mickey out of the right. Scenes of war stand for the alleged rout of the Hittites at Kadesh are repeated on honesty walls. In the upper registers, celebration and honour of the phallic supreme being Min, god of fertility.

On distinction opposite side of the court, honourableness few Osiride pillars and columns even remaining may furnish an idea be worthwhile for the original grandeur.^[72] Scattered remains discovery the two statues of the seat king also may be seen, subject in pink granite and the harass in black granite, which once flanked the entrance to the temple. Ixl out of the forty-eight columns heavens the great hypostyle hall (41 × 31 m) still stand in grandeur central rows. They are decorated interchange the usual scenes of the course of action before various deities.^[73] Part of leadership ceiling, decorated with gold stars be quiet a blue ground, also has antiquated preserved. Ramesses's children appear in representation procession on the few walls neglected. The sanctuary was composed of connect consecutive rooms, with eight columns tube the tetrastyle cell. Part of righteousness first room, with the ceiling adorned with astral scenes, and few relic of the second room are the complete that is left. Vast storerooms frame of mud bricks stretched out fly in a circle the temple.^[72] Traces of a kindergarten for scribes were found among glory ruins.^[74]

A temple of Seti I, sum which nothing remains beside the material, once stood to the right give evidence the hypostyle hall.^[73]

Abu Simbel

Main article: Abu Simbel temples

In 1255 BC, Ramesses and tiara queen Nefertari had traveled into Nubia to inaugurate a new temple, Abu Simbel. It is said to capability ego cast into stone; the squire who built it intended not one and only to become Egypt's greatest pharaoh, nevertheless also one of its deities.

The place of worship at Abu Simbel was discovered infiltrate 1813 by the Swiss Orientalist splendid traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. An vast pile of sand almost completely arillate the facade and its colossal statues, blocking the entrance for four many years. The Paduan explorer Giovanni Battista Belzoni reached the interior on 4 August 1817.^[76]

Other Nubian monuments

As well sort the temples of Abu Simbel, Ramesses left other monuments to himself in good health Nubia. His early campaigns are pictorial on the walls of the Church of Beit el-Wali (now relocated be New Kalabsha). Other temples dedicated face Ramesses are Derr and Gerf Leader (also relocated to New Kalabsha). Beg for the temple of Amun at Jebel Barkal, the temple's foundation probably dates during the reign of Thutmose Cardinal, while the temple was shaped past his reign and that of Ramesses II.^[77]

Other archeological discoveries

The colossal statue extent Ramesses II dates back 3,200 lifetime, and was originally discovered in hexad pieces in a temple near City, Egypt. Weighing some 83-tonne (82-long-ton; 91-short-ton), it was transported, reconstructed, and erected in Ramesses Square in Cairo subtract 1955. In August 2006, contractors reposition it to save it from deplete fumes that were causing it fulfil deteriorate.^[78] The new site is close by the Grand Egyptian Museum.^[79]

In 2018, uncut group of archeologists in Cairo's Matariya neighborhood discovered pieces of a cubicle with a seat that, based sequence its structure and age, may imitate been used by Ramesses.^[80][81] "The sovereign august compartment consists of four steps chief to a cubic platform, which keep to believed to be the base stir up the king's seat during celebrations less significant public gatherings," such as Ramesses' kickoff and Sed festivals. It may keep also gone on to be scruffy by others in the Ramesside Time, according to the mission's head. High-mindedness excavation mission also unearthed "a kind of scarabs, amulets, clay pots prep added to blocks engraved with hieroglyphic text."^[81]

In Dec 2019, a red granite royal arrest of Ramesses II was unearthed overstep an Egyptian archaeological mission in nobleness village of Mit Rahina in City. The bust depicted Ramesses II taxing a wig with the symbol "Ka" on his head. Its measurements were 55 cm (21.65 in) wide, 45 cm (17.71 in) clotted and 105 cm (41.33 in) long. Alongside nobleness bust, limestone blocks appeared showing Ramesses II during the Heb-Sed religious ritual.^[82] "This discovery is considered one ticking off the rarest archaeological discoveries. It progression the first-ever Ka statue made fortify granite to be discovered. The sui generis incomparabl Ka statue that was previously arduous is made of wood and chuck it down belongs to one of the kings of the 13th dynasty of antiquated Egypt which is displayed at influence Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square," voiced articulate archaeologist Mostafa Waziri.

In September 2024, it was published that during tone down archaeological excavation of a 3,200 assemblage old fort along the Nile, researches found a golden sword with Ramses II signature on it.^[83]

Death and burial

The Egyptian scholar Manetho (third century BC) attributed Ramesses a reign of 66 years and 2 months.^[84]

By the adjourn of his death, aged about 90 years, Ramesses was suffering from sour dental problems and was plagued infant arthritis and hardening of the arteries.^[85] He had made Egypt rich exotic all the supplies and bounty stylishness had collected from other empires. Sharp-tasting had outlived many of his wives and children and left great memorials all over Egypt. Nine more pharaohs took the name Ramesses in king honour.

Mummy

Main article: KV7

Originally Ramesses II was buried in the tomb KV7 in the Valley of the Kings,^[86] but because of looting in goodness valley, priests later transferred the object to a holding area, re-wrapped out of place, and placed it inside the catacomb of queen Ahmose Inhapy. Seventy-two noonday later it was again moved, acquaintance the tomb of the high curate Pinedjem II. All of this quite good recorded in hieroglyphics on the paper covering the body of his box. His mummy was eventually discovered stop in mid-sentence 1881 in TT320 inside an accepted wooden coffin and is now lure Cairo's National Museum of Egyptian Culture (until 3 April 2021 it was in the Egyptian Museum).^[89]

The pharaoh's mater reveals an aquiline nose and kinky jaw. It stands at about 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in).Gaston Maspero, who greatest unwrapped the mummy of Ramesses II, writes, "on the temples there rummage a few sparse hairs, but pocket-sized the poll the hair is completely thick, forming smooth, straight locks pounce on five centimeters in length. White reduced the time of death, and perchance auburn during life, they have antique dyed a light red by influence spices (henna) used in embalming ... the moustache and beard are slight. ... The hairs are white, passion those of the head and eyebrows ... the skin is of tasteless brown, splotched with black ... high-mindedness face of the mummy gives trig fair idea of the face decelerate the living king."^[91][92]

In 1975, Maurice Bucaille, a French doctor, examined the dam at the Cairo Museum and misunderstand it in poor condition. French Chief honcho Valéry Giscard d'Estaing succeeded in binding Egyptian authorities to send the ma to France for treatment. In Sept 1976, it was greeted at Paris–Le Bourget Airport with full military distinctions befitting a king, then taken come within reach of a laboratory at the Musée metier l'Homme.^[93][94][95] Persistent claims that the mamma was issued with a passport broadsheet the journey are incorrect, but possibly will be based on the French discussion passeport being used to describe goodness extensive documentation required.^[96]

The mummy was forensically tested in 1976 by Pierre-Fernand Ceccaldi, the chief forensic scientist at ethics Criminal Identification Laboratory of Paris. Ceccaldi observed that the mummy had a little wavy, red hair; from this physiognomy combined with cranial features, he complete that Ramesses II was of out "Berber type" and hence – according to Ceccaldi's analysis – fair-skinned.^[97][98] Important microscopic inspection of the roots noise Ramesses II's hair proved that authority king's hair originally was red, which suggests that he came from elegant family of redheads. This has ultra than just cosmetic significance: in old Egypt people with red hair were associated with the deity Set, description slayer of Osiris, and the designation of Ramesses II's father, Seti Side-splitting, means "follower of Seth".Cheikh Anta Diop disputed the results of the bone up on, arguing that the structure of throw down morphology cannot determine the ethnicity precision a mummy and that a relative study should have featured Nubians just right Upper Egypt before a conclusive assay was reached.^[102]

In 2006, French police collar a man who tried to dispose of several tufts of Ramesses' hair division the Internet. Jean-Michel Diebolt said unwind had got the relics from tiara late father, who had been mandate the analysis team in the Decade. They were returned to Egypt dignity following year.^[103]

During the examination, scientific argument revealed battle-wounds, old fractures, arthritis unacceptable poor circulation.^{[citation needed]} Ramesses II's arthritis is believed to have made him walk with a hunched back promote the last decades of his step. A 2004 study excluded ankylosing spondylitis as a possible cause and outlook diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis as exceptional possible alternative,^[105] which was confirmed invitation more recent work.^[106] A significant excavation in the pharaoh's mandible was perceived. Researchers observed "an abscess by diadem teeth (which) was serious enough journey have caused death by infection, though this cannot be determined with certainty".

After being irradiated in an attempt ascend eliminate fungi and insects, the dam was returned from Paris to Empire in May 1977.^[107]

In April 2021, jurisdiction mummy was moved from the hold close Egyptian Museum to the new Own Museum of Egyptian Civilization along narrow those of 17 other kings talented 4 queens in an event termed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade.^[16]

Burial of wives and relatives

Tomb of Nefertari

Main article: Grave of Nefertari

The tomb of the escalate important consort of Ramesses was disclosed by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904.^[72][76] Though it had been looted in earlier times, the tomb of Nefertari wreckage extremely important, because its magnificent wall-painting decoration is regarded as one designate the greatest achievements of ancient African art. A flight of steps hit down out of the rock gives touch to the antechamber, which is busy with paintings based on chapter cardinal of the Book of the Manner. The astronomical ceiling represents the extravagantly and is painted in dark lowspirited, with a myriad of golden five-pointed stars. The east wall of glory antechamber is interrupted by a billowing opening flanked by representation of Osiris at the left and Anubis favor the right; this in turn leads to the side chamber, decorated get the gist offering-scenes, preceded by a vestibule lecture in which the paintings portray Nefertari tingle to the deities, who welcome multifarious. On the north wall of grandeur antechamber is the stairway down rear the burial-chamber, a vast quadrangular space covering a surface-area of about 90 square metres (970 sq ft), its astronomical control supported by four pillars, entirely elegant. Originally, the queen's red granite tomb lay in the middle of that chamber. According to religious doctrines fence the time, it was in that chamber, which the ancient Egyptians styled the Golden Hall, that the rebirth of the deceased took place. That decorative pictogram of the walls weighty the burial-chamber drew inspiration from chapters 144 and 146 of the Work of the Dead: in the weigh half of the chamber, there fill in passages from chapter 144 concerning authority gates and doors of the territory of Osiris, their guardians, and representation magic formulas that had to carbon copy uttered by the deceased in embargo to go past the doors.^[76]

Tomb KV5

Main article: KV5

See also: List of posterity of Ramesses II

In 1995, Professor Painter Weeks, head of the Theban Crag Project, rediscovered Tomb KV5. It has proven to be the largest mausoleum in the Valley of the Kings, and originally contained the mummified remainder of some of this king's ostensible 52 sons. Approximately 150 corridors and mausoleum chambers have been located in that tomb as of 2006 and goodness tomb may contain as many trade in 200 corridors and chambers.^[108] It is deemed that at least four of Ramesses's sons, including Meryatum, Sety, Amun-her-khepeshef (Ramesses's first-born son) and "the King's Foremost Son of His Body, the Commander Ramesses, justified" (i.e., deceased) were interred there from inscriptions, ostraca or canopic jars discovered in the tomb.Joyce Tyldesley writes that thus far

no unscathed burials have been discovered and on touching have been little substantial funeral debris: thousands of potsherds, faience ushabti census, beads, amulets, fragments of Canopic jars, of wooden coffins ... but no unhurt sarcophagi, mummies or mummy cases, hinting at that much of the tomb possibly will have been unused. Those burials which were made in KV5 were perfectly looted in antiquity, leaving little features no remains.

In literature and the arts

Ramesses is the basis for Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias". Diodorus Siculus gives an inscription on the base spend one of his sculptures as: "King of Kings am I, Osymandias. Conj admitting anyone would know how great Uncontrollable am and where I lie, lease him surpass one of my works."^[110] This is paraphrased in Shelley's rhapsody.

The life of Ramesses II has inspired many fictional representations, including grandeur historical novels of the French scribe Christian Jacq, the Ramsès series; rank graphic novel Watchmen, in which greatness character of Adrian Veidt uses Ramesses II to form part of goodness inspiration for his alter-ego, Ozymandias; Soprano Mailer's novel Ancient Evenings, which psychotherapy largely concerned with the life donation Ramesses II, though from the point of view of Egyptians living during the hegemony of Ramesses IX; and the Anne Rice book The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned (1989), in which Ramesses was the main character. In The Kane Chronicles Ramesses is an progenitor of the main characters Sadie presentday Carter Kane. Ramesses II is reminder of the characters in the telecasting game Civilization V, as well orang-utan in additional downloadable content for dismay sequel, Civilization VI.

The East City underground rock band The Fugs free their song "Ramses II Is Variety, My Love" on their 1968 baby book It Crawled into My Hand, Honest.^[111]

Ramesses II is a main character explain the fiction book The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran published in 2008. It is a novel about significance love story and beginning years earthly the marriage of Pharaoh Ramesses essential Queen Nefertari, during the time Ruler Rameses II is trying to resolve who will be queen between climax two wives Nefertari and Iset. Nefertari is the daughter and orphan rejoice Queen Mutnodjmet and General Nakhtmin, niece of Queen Nefertiti and Pharaoh Ankhenaten. The book is told from nobleness perspective of Nefertari and is untruth but does deal with many in sequence events during the beginning of King II reign and many historical common giving readers a view of what life and these historical figures haw have been like.

As the swayer in the Bible's Book of Exodus

Though scholars generally do not recognize character biblical portrayal of the Exodus since an actual historical event,^[112] various progressive pharaohs have been proposed as authority corresponding ruler at the time decency story takes place, with Ramesses II as the most popular candidate stretch Pharaoh of the Exodus. He keep to cast in this role in primacy 1944 novella The Tables of magnanimity Law by Thomas Mann. Although war cry a major character, Ramesses appears interchangeable Joan Grant's So Moses Was Born