Expert identifies ancient ‘propaganda' praising an infamous pharaoh who may have challenged Moses
Ancient 'propaganda' that was used to support the Egyptian pharaoh who is believed to be a major character of the Old Testament has been spotted in Paris, according to an expert.
Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, an Egyptologist from Paris-Sorbonne University and Institut Catholique de Paris, recently spoke with Fox News Digital about his findings, which are set to be published in the coming months.
The expert found the propaganda, which is supportive of Ramesses II, on the 3,300-year-old obelisk that sits in Paris' Place de la Concorde. Olette-Pelletier saw the obelisk up close in 2021 after receiving permission to climb scaffolding to conduct research.
Ramesses II, who was born in 1303 B.C. and died in 1213 B.C., is considered one of the most influential and powerful Egyptian rulers of the New Kingdom.
The Egyptian monarch is often cited as the most likely candidate for the pharaoh mentioned in Exodus, though an explicit name was never given in the Old Testament. The pharaoh is said to have retaliated against Moses and refused his requests in Exodus — resulting in a series of plagues.
Olette-Pelletier called the pro-Ramesses hieroglyphs 'propaganda.'
3 The Luxor obelisk on the Place de la Concorde in Paris seen on May 15, 2025.
AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard
He identified seven cryptographies, or codes, which assert Ramesses II's authority from 1280 B.C. on.
'It was a message from Ramesses II to the nobility,' the expert said, noting the Egyptian nobility were able to read the codes.
Olette-Pelletier said Ramesses II was born before his father Seti I became pharaoh – and therefore was not conceived by the gods. Not being of divine essence could have hampered his legitimacy to the throne.
'The nobility, able to read cryptographies, might be tempted by an overthrow of power since Ramesses II was not born of theogamy and therefore not divine by birth,' Olette-Pelletier said.
3 Egyptian hieroglyphs seen on the side of the Luxor obelisk.
REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
The expert added, '[Ramesses II] spent the first two years of his reign emphasizing his divinity with his wife Nefertari by paying homage at Egypt's great shrines, and by buying priests.'
'In the process, he changed his name from Usermaatra to Usermaatra Setepenra, [which means] 'chosen of Ra.''
The obelisk has four sides, and Olette-Pelletier noted that the side that faces the Seine (and was intended to face the Nile) shows Ramesses II 'wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.'
The expert also said that Ramesses II 'underlined his divine knowledge' by using codes to convey the swaying messages.
3 According to French Egyptologist Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, the obelisk has ancient propaganda in support of Ramesses II is written on the side.
AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard
'The obelisk also contains hidden texts that show the nobility that he is a legitimate and divine king, thus averting a possible coup d'état,' Olette-Pelletier said.
'So, indeed, these are propaganda texts.'
The cryptographies also claim that Ramesses II was the 'provider of the Nile flood and thus of the country's wealth,' according to Olette-Pelletier.
The discovery is one of many finds related to Ramesses II that have been uncovered in the past year.
In September, an ancient sword belonging to Ramesses' military was unearthed in Housh Eissa, a city in Egypt's Beheira Governorate.
In January, Egyptian officials announced they would begin to restore Ramesses II's temple in the Luxor Governorate, the Ramesseum.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
FBI, DHS warn of 'elevated threat' to Jewish communities after recent attacks
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a joint public service announcement Thursday, warning the public to be aware of an "elevated threat" to Israeli and Jewish communities across the U.S. The announcement highlights potential public safety concerns regarding ongoing threats during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In the most recent incident on Sunday, an Egyptian national, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, allegedly created 18 Molotov cocktails before driving to Boulder, Colorado, where peaceful pro-Israel demonstrators prepared for the Run for Their Lives in support of the Israeli hostages. As participants assembled in Boulder's Pearl Street area, Soliman allegedly yelled "Free Palestine" and launched two lit Molotov cocktails into the throngs of people. He was arrested shortly after. Boulder Terror Attack Suspect Showed Signs Of Growing 'Lone Wolf' Radicalization, Says Former Fbi Supervisor The incident, which the FBI described as a "targeted terror attack," left over a dozen people, ages 52 to 88, with injuries, including one in critical condition. Read On The Fox News App Soliman, whose visa granted during the Biden administration expired in March 2025, told federal authorities the violence was a long time in the making. Soliman later told investigators he specifically targeted what he called a "Zionist group" and wished they were all dead. Boulder Suspect Spent A Year Planning Molotov Cocktail Attack On Pro-israel March: Docs In a separate incident May 21, a pro-Palestinian man allegedly killed two Israeli embassy staff members who were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were about to become engaged the following week, but their lives and dreams were cut short. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago was taken into custody and was believed to have acted alone. Boulder Illegal Immigrant Terror Suspect's 'Possible Radicalization' Probed By Authorities: Retired Fbi Agent Shortly after being taken into custody by security at the museum, Rodriguez was seen on video shouting, "Free, free Palestine." "The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict may motivate other violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators with similar grievances to conduct violence against Jewish and Israeli communities and their supporters," the FBI and DHS said in their joint announcement. "Foreign terrorist organizations also may try to exploit narratives related to the conflict to inspire attacks in the U.S. "The FBI and DHS therefore urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any threats of violence or suspicious activity to law enforcement." Anyone who witnesses what they believe to be concerning or suspicious activity is encouraged to notify the FBI by contacting the agency at or by contacting their local field offices at Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumph-Whitten contributed to this article source: FBI, DHS warn of 'elevated threat' to Jewish communities after recent attacks
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
French report identifies Muslim Brotherhood threat as Ted Cruz seeks US terror designation for group
French President Emmanuel Macron has asked his ministers to come up with responsive measures after a "government-commissioned" report determined that the Muslim Brotherhood poses a danger to "the fabric of society and republican institutions" in France. Though the French government stated it would not publish its full report, Reuters said it "accuses the Muslim Brotherhood of waging a covert campaign via local proxies to subvert France's secular values and institutions." That campaign is said to focus on local government, schools and mosques as a means to influence change on local and national levels, particularly regarding issues of gender equality and secularism. The report's claim that "the reality of this threat, even if it is long-term and does not involve violent action, highlights the risk of damage to the fabric of society and republican institutions." Christopher Holton, senior analyst and director for state outreach at the Center for Security Policy, told Fox News Digital that the French internal security service report "came as a surprise," given that European intelligence agencies "have been in denial about the Islamization of Europe" for "a quarter-century or so." "The Muslim Brotherhood is one of the most influential organizations in the entire Islamic world," Holton said. "This report acknowledges that, and that's something that no official government report in the West that I'm aware of has really acknowledged. "They don't conceal their philosophy. They don't conceal their plans. They're pretty transparent," Holton said of the Muslim Brotherhood, pointing to the final portion of the group's motto, which he said is "Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope." There is less transparency, however, about various groups' affiliations with the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the French intelligence report claims that the Muslims of France are the "national branch" of the Muslim Brotherhood. Politico reported the group called the accusations "unfounded." Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital that "the Muslim Brotherhood's model is pretty similar across Europe." Because of its "mixture of open association and clandestine connections," Mendoza says, "it is difficult to know the exact degree of Muslim Brotherhood penetration." Mendoza says the Muslim Brotherhood today "is therefore a particular menace for European Muslim communities as it seeks to radicalize religious thought, and for European countries because it is interested in a separate identity for European Muslims within states." Mendoza said this is "part of the reason we are seeing increased sectarianization within European societies." The Muslim Brotherhood's presence in the U.S. is coming under increased scrutiny once again. Earlier this week Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., announced on X, "In the coming days, I will be circulating and re-introducing a modernized version of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which I have been pushing for my entire Senate career." Cruz said that "the Muslim Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security." In April, Jordan outlawed the group and in so doing joined several other countries where it was banned or restricted. Those countries, according to an Al Arabiya report, include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Archaeologists uncover never-before-seen tombs of ancient Egyptian officials — expected to boost tourism
Several tombs of high-ranking Ancient Egyptian officials were recently uncovered by local archaeologists, shedding new light on a bygone civilization. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery in a Facebook post on May 26. It was translated from Arabic to English. Advertisement The tombs all date to the era of the New Kingdom, also known as the Egyptian Empire. They were found in the Draʻ Abu el-Naga site on the Nile River's West Bank in the Luxor Governorate. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted the names and titles of the decedents have all been identified, thanks to surviving inscriptions. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook 'The mission will continue cleaning and studying the remaining inscriptions in the tombs to gain a deeper understanding of their owners and to study and publish the findings scientifically,' he added. Advertisement The first tomb belonged to a man named Amenemopet from the Ramesside Period, which lasted from 1292 to 1069 B.C. He worked in a temple dedicated to Amun, a highly venerated Egyptian god. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook Most of the hieroglyphics in Amenemopet's tomb were destroyed, but the ministry noted that the remaining ones 'depict scenes of offering sacrifices, a depiction of the funerary furniture procession, and a banquet scene.' Advertisement 'One belongs to a person named 'Paki,' who worked as a supervisor of the grain silo, and the other to a person named 'Is,' who worked as a supervisor of the Amun temple in the oases, mayor of the northern oases, and a scribe,' the statement noted. Amenemopet's tomb also consisted of a small courtyard and an entrance with a square hall. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook The tombs of both Paki and Is also had courtyards, in addition to shafts. Advertisement In a statement, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the discovery 'enhances Egypt's position on the global cultural tourism map.' 'These discovered tombs are among the sites that will significantly contribute to attracting more visitors, especially those who are fans of cultural tourism, due to their distinctive civilizational and human value,' he noted. The discovery comes on the heels of several recent exciting finds in Egypt. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook In April, a University of Pennsylvania professor spoke with Fox News Digital about unearthing the tomb of an unknown pharaoh near Abydos. Earlier in May, officials announced the discovery of ancient military fortifications that dated back to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras of Egyptian history.
