Significant sitesSignificant sites

Of the Ramesside PeriodOf the Ramesside Period

Abu SimbelAbu Simbel

• Made up of two temples:

• 1. By Ramesses II, primarily dedicated to Re-Harakhte.

• 2. By Ramesses’s wife, Nefertari and dedicated to Hathor.

Temple 1 of Abu SimbelTemple 1 of Abu Simbel

• The main temple was dedicated to Ramesses II and to the four universal gods Ptah, Re-Harakhte, Amun-Re, and to Ramesses II himself.

• Of the seven temples he built, Abu Simbel is considered to be the most impressive.

Abu SimbelAbu Simbel

Abu Simbel continued-at nightAbu Simbel continued-at night

Temple 2 of Abu SimbelTemple 2 of Abu Simbel

• On either side of the entrance to the temple are a deified statue of Nefertari with statues of Ramesses II on either side of her. The statues of Nefertari are the same height as those of Ramesses, which is unusual.

• There are cobras protecting the Temple door.

Abu Simbel: Entrance to the small Abu Simbel: Entrance to the small templetemple

Abu Simbel 2 continuedAbu Simbel 2 continued

• Hathor was the wife of the Sun God so the two Temples, that of Ramesses II and that of Nefertari, brings Ramesses II and Nefertari and Hathor and the Sun God together as one.

• In other words: Hathor + Rameses II + Nefertari = one entity.

Abu Simbel 2 again…Abu Simbel 2 again…

Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings

Valley of the Kings continuedValley of the Kings continued

Valley of the Kings continuedValley of the Kings continued

Valley of the Kings continuedValley of the Kings continued

• The Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt contains many of the tombs of pharaohs from the New Kingdom, including Tutankhamun and Ramesses the Great.

• The Valley of the Kings actually has two components - the East Valley and the West Valley. It is in the East Valley which most of the tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs can be found.

Valley of the QueensValley of the Queens

• The Valley of the Queens is located on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes).

• There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens.  These belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties.

Map of ValleysMap of Valleys

Valley of the Queens continuedValley of the Queens continued

The Valley of the Queens The Valley of the Queens continuedcontinued

• The earliest may be that of Sitre, wife of Ramses I. The most notable are those of Nefertari, the favourite queen of Ramses II; and of a Ramesside queen called Titi.

• In 1979 UNESCO added the Valley of the Queens, the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor, and other sites of Thebes to the World Heritage List.

Per-RamesesPer-Rameses

• ca. 1279-1212 BC - Per Ramesses built:Ramesses II builds the grandest temple of all: Per Ramesses, a city built to honor and glorify him.

Per-RamesesPer-Rameses

• Map of Per-Ramesses

Per-Rameses Per-Rameses

• The modern village of Qantir marks what was probably the ancient site of Ramesses II’s great capital.

• Per-Ramesses means "House or Domain of Ramesses".

Per-RamessesPer-Ramesses

• It is known that Ramesses II moved the ancient Egyptian capital from southern Egypt into the Delta.

• This was done to escape the influence of the powerful priests at Thebes, AND to be nearer to the costs of modern Turkey and Syria in order to protect Egypt's borders.

Mortuary Temple of Ramses II Mortuary Temple of Ramses II (Ramesseum)(Ramesseum)

Dedication to the gods,Dedication to the gods,

RamesseumRamesseum

• The Ramesseum was Ramses II’s memorial temple.

• It was built in accordance with New Kingdom Royal burial practices.

• It was a place of worship dedicated to the pharaoh where his memory was kept alive after his passing from this world.

Your task:Your task:

• 1. Answer Critical Inquiry questions, page 9 of Textbook, Questions 1-5.

2. Answer Critical Inquiry questions, page 11 of Textbook, Questions 1-4.