#temple of Ramses

[blueiskewl]

Over 2,000 Ram Skulls Discovered in Egypt's Temple of Ramses II

Cairo — Archaeologists have announced the discovery of more than 2,000 rams' heads at the temple of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II — a find that the man in charge of the dig said surprised even veteran Egyptologists and showed the endurance of Ramses' impact, as the skulls were left there a millennium after the pharaoh's rule.

A team of archaeologists with New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) made the discovery in the city of Abydos, one of the oldest cities and richest archaeological sites in Egypt. It's located about seven miles west of the Nile River in Upper Egypt, some 270 miles south of Cairo.

The ram skulls were found stacked in the northern precinct of the temple, said Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, which announced the discovery on Saturday.

"We came across some random pieces of skulls first," Dr. Sameh Iskander, head of the ISAW mission, told CBS News. "We didn't know what they were, but as we continued our excavation and exploration, all of sudden we found a whole area filled with ram skulls."

"These are obviously offerings that were made to the temple of Ramses during the Ptolomaic period, which shows even 1,000 years after Ramses II, that he was still revered." Ramses II ruled over ancient Egypt for about 60 years before his death in 1213 BC.

Iskander explained that some of the ram heads were still mummified, while "others could have been mummified but the wrappings or the covers of mummifications were not there anymore."

The skulls were found among other objects, from papyrus to leather artifacts and statues, about six feet under the contemporary surface of the desert in what had been a storeroom of the ancient temple.

The large number of skulls found in the same place was "surprising even for Egyptologists," Iskander said.

"We are sure they were all dumped at the same time, so this was not an accumulation of skulls that were brought in over the years, but they came from somewhere else and were dumped into this magazine at some point for some reason which we don't know yet," he told CBS News. "It is significant because this place where they ended up is not just any place in the temple, so they were brought there for a reason. They were not just dumped in the desert but were inside this revered domain of the temple."

The archeologists also unearthed a large structure made of mudbricks with walls about 16 feet thick dating back about 4,200 years, to ancient Egypt's Sixth Dynasty.

"It is a major structure that will change our concept of the landscape of Abydos. This wall was built for something, it was at least 30 feet high." Iskander said. "We don't know exactly what this wall is. It's possible that this was a wall of the antient Abydos, which was never found. Could it be something else? Maybe, that's what we are working on now."

The mission also found other mummified animal remains, including dogs, goats, cows and gazelles.

Beside the massive structure, one very small object also captured Iskandar's attention.

"We also found a small bronze bell in excellent condition with the clapper, so we can hear the same sound of the ancient time. I was very happy to find it," he said. "It was probably used to mark a herd."

The head of the American mission, whose team has worked at the Abydos site since 2008, spoke to CBS News after traveling back to New York. He said a lot of research was still needed to find explanations for the latest discoveries.

"I hate to keep saying 'we don't know,' but this is the nature of archaeology. We keep working on findings that might lead to something, or not," he said, adding that he and his team may even need to "leave it to the next generation — they may have a better idea or other discoveries."

"Every year we have lots of finds and we come back very happy with the new finds, but we also come back with a huge sack full of questions," he said.

By Ahmed Shawkat.

#Over 2000 Ram Skulls Discovered in Egypt's Temple of Ramses II #city of Abydos #Ptolomaic period #archeology #archeolgst #ancient artifacts #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #ancient egypt #egyptian history #long reads

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Pharaoh Ramses II - Egyptian Architecture - Circa 1860

EGYPT: ABU SIMBEL Man standing on the colossal statue of Ramesses II at the great temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt.

  📷 Francis Frith, c. 1860.

#Pharaoh Ramses II #Egyptian Architecture #c. 1860 #18th century #18th century photography #Egypt #ancient egypt #Ramesses II #statue #Abu Simbel #great temple #photography #pharaoh #Egypt's Pharaohs' #Egyptian Pharaoh

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Ramses II Statue at Luxor Temple in Egypt

#ramses ii #statue #luxor temple #estatua #templo luxor #egypt #egyptian #egipto #egipcio

[music-addiction-disorder]

Great Temple of Ramses II 

Abu Simbel, Egypt, Africa

... looks familiar ?

Carved out of the mountain on the west bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 BC, this imposing main temple of the Abu Simbel complex was as much dedicated to the deified Ramses II himself as to Ra-Horakhty, Amun and Ptah. The four colossal statues of the pharaoh, which front the temple, are like gigantic sentinels watching over the incoming traffic from the south, undoubtedly designed as a warning of the strength of the pharaoh.

Over the centuries both the Nile and the desert sands shifted, and this temple was lost to the world until 1813, when it was rediscovered by chance by the Swiss explorer Jean-Louis Burckhardt. Only one of the heads was completely showing above the sand, the next head was broken off and, of the remaining two, only the crowns could be seen. Enough sand was cleared away in 1817 by Giovanni Belzoni for the temple to be entered.

From the temple’s forecourt, a short flight of steps leads up to the terrace in front of the massive rock-cut facade, which is about 30m high and 35m wide. Guarding the entrance, three of the four famous colossal statues stare out across the water into eternity – the inner left statue collapsed in antiquity and its upper body still lies on the ground. The statues, more than 20m high, are accompanied by smaller statues of the pharaoh’s mother, Queen Tuya, his wife Nefertari and some of his favourite children. Above the entrance, between the central throned colossi, is the figure of the falcon-headed sun god Ra-Horakhty.

The roof of the large hall is decorated with vultures, symbolising the protective goddess Nekhbet, and is supported by eight columns, each fronted by an Osiride statue of Ramses II. Reliefs on the walls depict the pharaoh’s prowess in battle, trampling over his enemies and slaughtering them in front of the gods. On the north wall is a depiction of the famous Battle of Kadesh (c 1274 BC), in what is now Syria, where Ramses inspired his demoralised army so that they won the battle against the Hittites. The scene is dominated by a famous relief of Ramses in his chariot, shooting arrows at his fleeing enemies. Also visible is the Egyptian camp, walled off by its soldiers’ round-topped shields, and the fortified Hittite town, surrounded by the Orontes River.

The next hall, the four-columned vestibule where Ramses and Nefertari are shown in front of the gods and the solar barques, leads to the sacred sanctuary, where Ramses and the triad of gods of the Great Temple sit on their thrones.

The original temple was aligned in such a way that each 21 February and 21 October, Ramses’ birthday and coronation day, the first rays of the rising sun moved across the hypostyle hall, through the vestibule and into the sanctuary, where they illuminate the figures of Ra-Horakhty, Ramses II and Amun. Ptah, to the left, was never supposed to be illuminated. Since the temples were moved, this phenomenon happens one day later.

#Ramses II #Temple #Iron Maiden #Powerslave #Spotify #Youtube

[egypt-ancient-and-modern]

The goddess Seshat carved on the back of the throne of the seated statue of Pharaoh Ramses II in the Amun Temple at Luxor, dated from 1250 BC(E)

#Seshat #Ramses II #Amun Temple #Luxor #Egypt #Ancient Egypt #archaeology #ancient history

[ancientorigins]

A huge, decorated wall relief shows the lengths to which ancient Egyptians went in order to present their beliefs and history - carved into stone. What tales and legends are depicted on the inside of this majestic site?

#Medinet Habu #Egypt #temple #Ramses III #pharaoh #ancient #history #ancient origins

[pyrobchilling]

FUCK YOU Ozymandias

I will NOT look upon your works

I will NOT despair

For I am not mighty at all

But a silly little guy

#Im doing an art essay about Ramses II BIG STUPID TEMPLE TO HIS EGO

[zhuanghongru]

The statue of Ramses the Great at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel is reassembled after having been moved in 1967 to save it from flooding.

#The statue of Ramses the Great at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel is reassembled after having been moved in 1967 to save it from flooding.

[khaosritual]

One of my fav pictures from my Egypt trip. November 2023.

#me #abu simbel #Egypt #Abu Simbel temple #Egyptian temple #ancient egypt #travel #traveller #travel pics #africa #ancient Egyptian #aswan #Nubian #Aswan Egypt #Ramses #pharoah #Horus #pilgrimage

[michael-rosskothen]

Great temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt

#abu simbel #abu simbal #ebsambul #isambul #temple #nubia #world heritage site #ramses #pharaoh #artwork #sculptures #statues #egypt #art #archeology #monument #travel #tourism #history #ruin #ancient #rocks #guardian figure #structure #mythology #dead cult #3d #illustration

[travelnshit]

The Biggest Ego In All The Land

Ramses II liked building fuck off great big things to remind everyone of his general badassery and the temples at Abu Simbel are a fine example of this. They reckon he built this particular imposing temple in that location to warn those coming up the Nile from the south of his absolute power and to keep the Nubian people in check. It is ego hewn in rock. Why just have one statue of yourself when…

View On WordPress

#Abu Simbel #Africa #Ancient Egypt #Ancient History #Backpacking #Egypt #Egypt 2022 #Ramses II #Temple Of Ramses II #Temples Of Abu Simbel #Travel #Wanderlust

[portalibis]

Sandstone hierako sphinx. 19th Dynasty Temple of Ramses II (Abu Simbel)

#Egypt #sphinx #Temple of Ramses II

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Abu Sibmel In Egypt

Abu Sibmel In Egypt is a piece of digital artwork by Olimpio Fantuz

#Abu Sibmel In Egypt #the Great Temple of Ramses II #by Olimpio Fantuz #Egypt #North Africa #Abu Sunbul (Abu Simbel) #ancient egypt #Egypt's Pharaohs' #Egyptian Pharaoh #sculpture #momument #photography #photo

[sowheresnate]

How much is it? 💰 . . . . Heres a lil price list for those interwsted in going to The Mit Rahina Museum in Memphis. This open air mesuem is where you will find many stone sculptures from the era of the New Kingdom, and mainly from the time of Ramses II. The Colossusof Ramesses is a must see here. ╔════════⁣⁣⁣═══🌎🛫🚗🛬🌏══════════╗ #SoWheresNate #DiscoveringEgypt #RoamingCairo #Cairo2K22 #Cairo #Cairo🇪🇬 #🇪🇬 #🇪🇬Egypt #Giza #Pyramids #Temples #NileRiver #Africa #Memphis #MemphisEgypt #CalciteSphinx #StoneMonument #Ramses #RamsesII #StandingStatue #Ramesses #StandingStatueOfRamsesII #RamsesIIStatue #RamessesII #Granite #MitRahina #mitrahinamuseum ╚═══════════⁣⁣⁣🌎🛫🚗🛬🌏══════════╝ (at Memphis, Egypt) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc3X19OOQyn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#sowheresnate #discoveringegypt #roamingcairo #cairo2k22 #cairo #cairo🇪🇬 #🇪🇬 #🇪🇬egypt #giza #pyramids #temples #nileriver #africa #memphis #memphisegypt #calcitesphinx #stonemonument #ramses #ramsesii #standingstatue #ramesses #standingstatueoframsesii #ramsesiistatue #ramessesii #granite #mitrahina #mitrahinamuseum

[centuriespast]

Statue of Sekhmet in the Temple of Ramses III, c. 3050 BCE, photograph by Simon Connor, via the American Research Center in Egypt

[paolo-streito-1264]

Unknown photographer. Full moon over the Temple of Abu Simbel Statue of Ramses II. Aswan, Egypt.