Tag: rameses ii

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Egyptian Artifacts

Rameses II at the Museo Egizio

Today’s 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 are from Nonno’s point of view! While I have never been to the Museo Egizio in Torino, my Nonno had been there many times and always spoke so highly of it. He took these photos 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 on one of his trips there. He spoke about this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 a lot because he thought it was just stunning 𓄤. It is one of my dreams to go to the Museo Egizio one day – I just wish Nonno and I could have gone there together 𓈖𓊗. 

Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓

This granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is one of the most majestic pieces in the museum’s collection and one of the most lifelike statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 there is of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖. This may just be mine (and Nonno’s) opinion, but I think it is one of the most majestic of all of the pharaonic statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 (Besides Hatshepsut’s of course)!!! 

Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 is depicted here wearing the khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 (also known as the blue crown) and he is holding a scepter 𓋾 in his hand. On his feet he is wearing sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏪, but under those sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏪 are nine bows 𓉺𓏏𓌔𓏦 which represent the enemies 𓐍𓆑𓏏𓀏𓏪 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! 

On either side of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 legs, there are two 𓏻 smaller figures. On the right side is Queen Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 and on the left is Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 and Nefertari’s 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 first 𓏃 born son 𓅭 Amunherkhepeshef 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓁷𓏺𓄘𓀼. 

Amunherkhepeshef 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓁷𓏺𓄘𓀼
Queen Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏

While it may be difficult to see in the photographs, a special symbol appears on both sides of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. This symbol, called the sema-tawy 𓋍, is a combination of many different symbols all combined into one! Most prominently, it is thought to be representative of the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and the windpipe 𓄥. The lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 are a symbol of Upper Egypt 𓇓 and the windpipe 𓄥 was a symbol of Lower Egypt 𓆤. Due to this, the sema-tawy 𓋍 is thought to be the symbol of a unified Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was always referred to as the “Lord of the Two Lands 𓎟𓇿𓇿” or “King of Upper and Lower Egypt 𓆥” because Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆤 Egypt, although united, were in fact very different from each other. They each had their own natural resources, cultures and local gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. The lung 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and windpipe 𓄥 design 𓋍 was usually found on objects that belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. In this case, it is on the side of one of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 most beautiful 𓄤 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪!

Some Egyptologists think that this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks like Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖, and that Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 usurped it from his own father 𓇋𓏏𓀀. However, there are no signs of reworking on the cartouche or on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 as a whole, so the two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 probably just resembled each other! 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the first 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 years of the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓, because Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 died during Year 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏. 

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ancient Plagiarism – aka Usurping

This statue is very interesting because it was originally made for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 during the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty. However if you look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the cartouches of Rameses II can be read! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 used to recycle statues all the time – this is a process known as usurping (taking one pharaoh’s monuments, erasing their name, and putting yours!). It’s kind of like ancient plagiarism!!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓆥(𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Usermaatre
𓅭𓇳(𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) Son of Ra, Rameses

This statue is made of granodiorite, a type of volcanic (igneous) rock. It was quarried at Aswan and then transported up the Nile to Memphis, where it was sculpted.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Pylon Shaped Stela of Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a “Pylon Shaped Stela of Rameses II” (c. 1279–1213 B.C.E.) at the MET. This piece is made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 and describes Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖! 

Here is the left two columns:

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Rameses II (Birth Name)

𓉡 – Hathor

𓎟𓏏 – Lady 

𓆭𓏏 – Sycamore 

𓇔𓏏 – Southern 

𓌺 – Beloved 

Put all together, this inscription reads: “Rameses II, Beloved of Hathor, Lady of the Southern Sycamore.” 

Here are the right two columns: 

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Rameses II (Throne Name)

𓉡 – Hathor

𓎟𓏏 – Lady 

𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 – West

𓌺 – Beloved 

Put all together, this inscription reads: “Rameses II, Beloved of Hathor, Lady of the West.” 

Hathor 𓉡 has the title “Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” because of her roles was to provide peace and solace to the souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 as they entered the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Many people obviously associate Hathor 𓉡 with love, joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 etc, but she was also a prominent funerary goddess 𓊹𓏏! 

Hathor 𓉡 has the title “Lady of the Southern Sycamore 𓎟𓏏𓆭𓏏𓇔𓏏” or just “Lady of the Sycamore 𓎟𓏏𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭” because the sycamore tree 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 was one of the native trees in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and it grew at the edge of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊! This would put it near necropolises, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 etc, so it was associated with the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! Hathor 𓉡 was considered one of the tree goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Horus Name of Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the Horus Name for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II! So far, I have really only spoken about the Throne Name (𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) and the Birth Name (𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓), so let’s take a closer look at the Horus Name! 

The Horus Name is the oldest way that a pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 name 𓂋𓈖 was written/identified and is one of five 𓏾 ways to write the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The Horus Name consists of three elements: the palace facade 𓊁, Horus the Falcon 𓅃 standing on top of the palace 𓊁, and the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 within the palace 𓊁. The palace 𓊁 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is pronounced like “serekh” and some Egyptologists are now referring to the Horus Name as the Serekh Name. This was basically the early version of the cartouche! 

Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 had a lot of different variations of his Horus Name, so let’s take a look at the two 𓏻 that are pictured! 

𓂡𓃒𓁛𓌺 – “Strong Bull, Beloved of Ra”

𓂡𓃒𓁧𓌺 – “Strong Bull, Beloved of Maat”

“Strong Bull 𓂡𓃒“ was a very popular way to start off the Horus Name because bulls 𓃒𓃒𓃒 were a symbol of strength 𓌀 and fertility, both of which are qualities that pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wanted to have!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II

This large piece at the MET is referred to as a “Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II.” Basically, that means these blocks came from a gateway at a temple that was built in honor of one of Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 royal jubilees. 

The offering scene that is on the doorjamb is Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 making an offering to the god 𓊹 Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯, who was the patron god 𓊹 of the jubilee. Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 is a combination of the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 (the creator god 𓊹) and Tatanen 𓁯, a lesser known deity who was the personification of the primordial mound that rose during the Egyptian creation myth. Tatanen 𓁯 is often compared to Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 (the god 𓊹 of the Earth 𓇾𓇾), however Tatanen 𓁯 is often associated with things that come from the interior of the Earth 𓇾𓇾 such as minerals, rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦, and plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰! 

So Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 is the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface (The Upper Earth), while Tatanen 𓁯 is the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 interior (The Lower Earth)! As a geologist, I love how the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were able to make this distinction between the spheres of the Earth 𓇾𓇾 in their mythology! They also recognized the atmosphere (another sphere of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) as the god 𓊹 Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭! It’s all so impressive to me! 

Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is broken down like this: 

𓊪𓏏𓎛 – Ptah (spelled out with phonogram symbols)

𓁯 – Tatanen (the determinative/ideogram)

Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 determinative was basically replaced with the determinative for Tatanen 𓁯 to make the god’s 𓊹 name 𓂋𓈖! 

Can you spot Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 in the inscription on the doorjamb???

(Also Rameses III’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 cartouches appear on this too on the bottom of the doorjamb – he clearly usurped this piece for his own use and didn’t change all of the cartouches!)

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Egyptian Artifacts

Column of Rameses II

From Nonno’s point of view!!

He took a picture of me taking a picture while we were in the British Museum 😂 – I love it!!

Anyway, this is a red granite column that was originally inscribed for Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓! Both of his cartouches can be seen throughout -(𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) and (𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖). Also his titles such as “Lord of the Two Lands 𓎟𓇿𓇿” and “Lord of Appearances 𓎟𓈍𓏥” can be seen on top of his cartouches.

This column was definitely usurped by another pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 at some point because some of the cartouches on this column don’t belong to Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖!

In the bottom of this picture you can see the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 for “Lord of the Two Lands 𓎟𓇿𓇿” very clearly!

I have always loved seeing the columns in museums because you can get a sense of the grand scale of the Egyptian monuments. Since I have never been to Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, it’s nice to see just how grand their building was! I love the design of this column; the top looks like a flower 𓆸!

Cartouche for Rameses II (𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓).
Another side of the column!
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Egyptian Artifacts

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II

This is a large sandstone stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓.

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 talk about how Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 founded the town of Meriamun, and how he established the cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 there. The stela was a way to commemorate Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 presenting statues to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳.

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows (from left to right) Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Rameses II can be seen wearing the blue crown, also known as the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown which was very popular among New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻! Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is receiving symbols of kingship (the crook 𓋾) from the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. This is meant to represent that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 saw Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 as a legitimate ruler! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 believed that they were direct descendants of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖(in the 18th – 19th Dynasties Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 kind of replaces Horus 𓅃𓀭 in popularity as king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) and that they were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth.

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is quite large (I’m 5’5”)! It was also really cool that five 𓏾 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 names appear on this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! This was probably meant to show that while he was a divine figure, he also had very human qualities!

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Rameses II

There are two 𓏻 different types of reliefs; raised and sunken reliefs. In a raised relief, the images project upward from the rock, while in a sunken relief, the images are carved within the rock.

Most of the time, especially for temple and royal inscriptions, the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 chose to to raised reliefs because it was less likely to be completely washed out by the sun 𓇳𓏺! Sunken reliefs were mainly used when time was of the essence, because sunken reliefs took less time to carve or when the rock was too hard/dense. Sunken reliefs actually became more popular starting with the 18th Dynasty.

Full Relief of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum.

This relief shows Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖. What is interesting is the hieroglyphs are sunken reliefs, while the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 are raised reliefs.

Usually reliefs were either one or the other, however, this relief has both sunken and raised aspects to it! Many of his titles/cartouches are used in this relief.

Close-Up of the Hieroglyphs.

𓎟𓇿𓇿 “lord of the two lands”
𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 Rameses II (Usermaatre – throne name)

𓎟𓈍𓏥 “lord of appearances”
𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 Rameses II (Ramessu mery-Amun – birth name)

𓌺𓁩𓁛𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Rameses II (Ramessu mery-Amun – birth name variant)

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Rameses II at the British Museum

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 is one of the largest Egyptian artifacts in the British Museum. The piece is definitely grand, and is even more beautiful 𓄤 in person.

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was cut from pink/gray granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿. Granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 is an extremely strong rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 and resistant to weathering due to its high quartz content (hence why it is used to make countertops), so that is why the details on this are so well preserved. This piece was excavated by Belzoni and was originally from Rameses II’s 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 mortuary temple at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (aka the Ramesseum).

Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 came to the throne after the death of his father Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠, and ruled Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 for about 67 years. He was the third pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 19th Dynasty, and is often referred to as “Rameses The Great” because he built 𓐍𓂤𓅱𓋴𓀧 more monuments than any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and ruled longer than any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The monuments attributed to Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 are some of the best preserved – it seems that he got his wish to be remembered even so long after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 built 𓐍𓂤𓅱𓋴𓀧 as much as he could so he could ensure that his name 𓂋𓈖 lived on.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Columns of Rameses II at the Louvre

Here I am in the Louvre!

The Louvre had such a large Egyptian collection (even compared to the MET) that I was honestly a little overwhelmed trying to see everything!! My Nonno and I spent the whole time practically running around because we didn’t want to miss anything!

One of the first cartouches I learned to read were for Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖. I always felt so proud as a little girl when I could recognize the names of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 on the artifacts! Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 name 𓂋𓈖 is always a good one to know because he put his name 𓂋𓈖 everywhere! He usurped a lot of monuments from previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and replaced their names with his own. Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 also had a lot of variations of his name 𓂋𓈖 and depending when in his reign the monument was made and the amount of space available could determine which cartouche was used.

Here are some examples:

(𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓), (𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓), and (𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃) are all different variations of Rameses II’s birth name! While “spelled” with different hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, they actually all mean the same thing! For example, 𓇳𓏺, 𓁛, and 𓁜 are all used to designate “Ra” while 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and 𓁩 are used for Amun! (𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) which is seen on the column in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is his throne name!
What’s really cool is that a very similar column also belonging to Rameses II can be found in the British Museum too!