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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Rameses II

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ is one of the largest Egyptian artifacts in the British Museum. The piece is definitely grand, and is even more beautiful π“„€ in person. Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ was Egypt’s π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– most prolific builder, so it makes sense that objects made in his likeness are also grand!

Nicole (me) with the Statue of Rameses II at the British Museum

Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ came to the throne after the death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 of his father Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠, and ruled Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 for about 67 years. He was the third pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 19th Dynasty, and is often referred to as β€œRameses The Great” because he built 𓐍𓂀𓅱𓋴𓀧 more monuments than any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and ruled longer than any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

The monuments attributed to Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ are some of the best preserved in all of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– – it seems that he got his wish to be remembered even so long after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ built 𓐍𓂀𓅱𓋴𓀧 as much as he could so he could ensure that his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– lived on. He also usurped a lot of other previous pharaohs’ 𓉐𓉻𓏦 monuments too!

Geology time!!!! This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was cut from pink/gray granite π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“ˆ–π“Œ³π“Ώ. Granite π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“ˆ–π“Œ³π“Ώ is an extremely strong rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ and resistant to weathering due to its high quartz content (hence why it is used to make countertops in modern times), 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 π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ mortuary temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š– (aka the Ramesseum).