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Ramesseum
Site, Luxor (ancient Thebes) · also called Ramesseum Temple, Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II, Ozymandias temple
The Ramesseum is the best place to learn to read the names of Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BC): his memorial temple repeats them in huge carved cartouches, beside the Kadesh battle reliefs and the fallen colossus behind Shelley's 'Ozymandias'.
Much of the temple has fallen. The second court, the hypostyle hall and parts of the pylons still stand, with deep sunk relief that reads well in the morning sun. Mud-brick store rooms surround the stone temple, and a small temple to his mother Tuya stood beside it.
Greek writers called the place the tomb of Ozymandias. The name is a Greek version of Usermaatre, Ramesses II's throne name, and the broken granite statue of the king lying here inspired Shelley's poem. Diodorus of Sicily, writing in the first century BC, described a giant statue at the tomb of Ozymandias and quoted its inscription.
What to see and read
Fallen colossus
Pieces of a giant seated granite statue lie in the first court. His cartouches can still be read on the upper arm.
Battle of Kadesh
The pylons show the battle against the Hittites, with the king's camp, the chariots and the river Orontes. Long captions tell the story in the king's favour, and small labels name the enemy princes as they fall.
Hypostyle hall
Deep cartouches on the columns, and on one wall a procession of the king's sons, each named.
Astronomical ceiling
In a small hall behind the main hypostyle, the ceiling shows stars, gods and the months of the year.
Osiris pillars
Statues of Ramesses II as Osiris front the second court.
Names you can find here
Signs to look for
- Head and neck of a canine F12wsr The canine head spells user in Usermaatre.
- Adze U21stp The adze spells setep, 'chosen', in Usermaatre-setepenre, 'chosen of Ra'.
- Three fox skins F31ms The fox skins spell mes in Ramesses, 'Ra is the one who bore him'.
- Hoe U7mr The hoe spells 'beloved' in Ramesses-meryamun, 'beloved of Amun'.
Reading the hieroglyphs here
- Learn Usermaatre-setepenre and Ramesses-meryamun here. You will meet them all over Egypt.
- Go in the morning, when the temple is quiet and the low sun brings out the relief.
- On the colossus, photograph the cartouche straight on and trace its signs in Hiero Lens.
Point your camera at a wall Hiero Lens boxes the signs and names them, on your phone; nothing is uploaded. On worn stone, trace a sign over the photo.
Questions
Is the Ramesseum Ozymandias?
Yes. Greek writers called it the tomb of Ozymandias, and its fallen colossus inspired Shelley's poem.
What is there to see at the Ramesseum?
The fallen colossus, the Battle of Kadesh reliefs, the hypostyle hall with its astronomical ceiling and the Osiris pillars. Allow about an hour.
Where it is
Open in OpenStreetMap · Written from published sources and not yet checked on site by our team: displays and open tombs change.