Unlocking the Mystery: Ramesses II’s Secret Tomb Revealed
The resting place of Ramesses II was revealed by archaeologists when they examined a mysterious granite burial tomb found under the floor of a religious centre in east-central Egypt.
**Uncovering Ramesses II: The Lost Pharaoh’s Tombs and Treasures**
The Sierra Peaks
“Pharaoh” means “Great House,” in reference to the palace where the pharaoh resided.
The early rulers were referred to as kings but over time the name “pharaoh” stuck, according to the National Geographic.
Pharaohs were seen as the divine intermediary between the gods and Egyptians.
It was there job to maintain religious harmony as well as make laws and oversee all of Egypt.
Many also waged war to expand the Egyptian empire.
There is some dispute over who was the first pharaoh but many believe it was Narmer, who was also known as Menes.
He is thought to have united upper and lower Egypt, which is why pharaohs also held the title of “lord of two lands”.
Most pharaohs were male although there were some notable exceptions – Hatshepsut and Cleopatra.
Hatshepsut is thought to have been a successful ruler but many inscriptions and monuments about her were destroyed following her death, perhaps as an attempt to stop future women becoming pharaohs.
When pharaohs died they were entombed and surrounded by riches which it was thought they could use in the afterlife.
Over the years archaeologists and explorers have discovered their resting places and unearthed a wealth of knowledge about life in ancient Egypt.
Perhaps most famously, the tomb of King Tutankhamen was discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.
Tutankhamen was a boy pharaoh and died at the age of 19.
Discovering the True Dynasty: Ramesses II and His Legacy
Hugh statues and buildings constructed in his honour marked the last peak of Egypt’s power.
The remains of a high priest were originally found in the sarcophagus but the latest discovery indicates he removed the pharaohs mummy and coffin to reuse.
Egyptologist Frédéric Payraudeau, a teacher and researcher at the Sorbonne University in Paris, made the discovery last month after re-examining a fragment of granite discovered in Abydos back in 2009.
The stone, measuring five feet long and three inches thick, was found to have a previously overlooked engraving that read “of Ramesses II himself,” according to a translated statement from France’s National Centre for Scientific Research.
Payraudeau said: “When I read these results, I was overcome with doubt.
“I asked my American colleague if I could re-study the file, which he accepted given the complexity of this case.
“My colleagues believed that the cartouche preceded by the word ‘king’ designated the high priest Menkheperre who governed southern Egypt around 1000 BC.
“However, this cartridge actually dated from the previous engraving and therefore designated its first owner.”
He explained that engravings of the Book of Doors, an initiatory story reserved for kings during the time of the Ramesses, was also featured on the sarcophagus.