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Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hidden messages found on 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk in Paris
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The famous ancient Egyptian obelisk in Paris may contain a series of hieroglyphic messages aimed at Egypt's nobility that praise the pharaoh Ramesses II and say he was divinely chosen by the gods, an Egyptologist claims. However, scholars who were not involved with the research expressed caution about this interpretation. The approximately 3,300-year-old obelisk was built at Luxor Temple on orders of Ramesses II (who reigned circa 1279 to 1213 B.C.) at the beginning of his rule. In 1830, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Egypt at the time, gifted it to France. It was moved to Paris, where it now sits in a plaza known as the Place de la Concorde. Previous studies revealed that hieroglyphics on the obelisk discuss Ramesses II. They also discuss the god Amun (also referred to as Amun-Ra) who was the chief god of Thebes (now known as Luxor), and Horus, who was the son of the god Osiris and goddess Isis. The newfound messages, however, would have been understood only by those who had a high level of literacy, particularly the nobility, Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, an Egyptologist from the Institut Catholique de Paris, told Live Science in an email. During restoration work on the obelisk and surrounding area carried out in 2021, Olette-Pelletier was given permission to climb scaffolding erected around the obelisk and study the granite artifact in greater detail than can be seen from the ground. During his study, Olette-Pelletier found what he believes are messages that would have been noticed only by certain people under certain circumstances. For instance, he noted that when the obelisk was built, its western side faced the Nile River and those traveling on the river by boat would have had a good view of a series of inscriptions and imagery located near the top of the 75-foot-tall (23 meters) obelisk. These inscriptions say Ramesses II "had been chosen by the gods, that he was of divine essence and therefore entitled to rule Egypt," Olette-Pelletier said. It also shows a scene of Ramesses II making offerings to the god Amun. He noted that the Opet festival, an annual event that honored Amun, prompted the nobility to arrive at Luxor by boat. These travelers would have had a good view of these inscriptions, helping to reinforce the pharaoh's political power. "It was propaganda aimed at the very high intellectual elite," Olette-Pelletier said. Olette-Pelletier thinks he's found other hidden messages on the obelisk. For instance, he noted that there are two rows of hieroglyphs that, depending on the direction in which they are read, could give different messages — such as spelling out the full throne name of Ramesses II or saying he had eternal life. RELATED STORIES —Ramesses II's sarcophagus finally identified thanks to overlooked hieroglyphics —Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II's 'handsome' face revealed in striking reconstruction —Archaeologists find top half of giant Ramesses II statue, completing a century-long puzzle Olette-Pelletier is preparing a report of his findings that will be published (in French) in the journal Égypte Nilotique et Méditerranéenne (also known as ENiM). Scholars who were not involved with the research urged caution in interpreting the findings; they said that, until the research is published, they will not be able to review it in depth. Filip Taterka, an Egyptology professor at the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, told Live Science that he doesn't think the inscriptions and imagery near the top of the obelisk would have been visible to a noble person traveling by boat on the Nile because of the distance.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A Researcher Found Hidden Messages on an Obelisk. They Weren't Meant for Ordinary Eyes.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." A researcher discovered hidden messages called hieroglyphic cryptographies on the Luxor Obelisk in France. Some of the hidden messages were propaganda asserting Ramses II's power. Messages on one side of the obelisk would have only been read by wealthy nobles approaching by boat. Ramses II—also known as Ramses the Great—ruled Egypt for 66 years, and his reign is considered to be the epitome of power and glory in Egypt. Despite his military shortcomings, Ramses II leaned into an exhaustive public relations campaign, erecting more monuments (and siring more children) than any other pharaoh. And he is still influencing history to this day—a researcher just discovered several hidden messages inscribed on one of the obelisks he commissioned. The monument in question is the Concorde (or Luxor) Obelisk, now located in Place de la Concorde, Paris, France. It originally stood outside the Luxor Temple in Upper Egypt, alongside a twin obelisk, and both pillars were built around the 13th century B.C. Experts can date the engravings back to Ramses II, as they included both names he went by during his reign. Both monuments were later gifted to France by Pasha Muhammed Ali, but because of transportation costs, only one tower was relocated in 1833. Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, the epigraphist who discovered the hidden messages, did so by accident—he was merely on his daily stroll. 'I would walk to [the obelisk] and read the hieroglyphs on its faces to relax,' Olette-Pelletier told Sciences et Avenir. 'At one point, I realized something unusual: the direction of the hieroglyphs indicated a direction, that of the entrance to the portico of the Luxor Temple. But that was only the beginning.' Olette-Pelletier explained that he realized there was no literature discussing the different scenes, so he began studying the images from afar. He eventually realized that the obelisk contained hieroglyphic cryptographies, or hidden messages. These encrypted messages are often secret texts inserted into hieroglyphs or hidden in 3D carvings. While some Egyptians would have been able to read hieroglyphs, only the elite would be able to decipher these hidden messages, Olette-Pelletier explained. Interestingly, the hidden messages on the 'Seine side' (once the Nile side) of the obelisk could only be read at a 45° angle. 'When I calculated where to stand at the time to be able to admire this part of the obelisk, I ended up right in the middle of the Nile,' Olette-Pelletier said. 'And then I understood: it was only intended to be seen by the nobles arriving by boat at the temple of Luxor during the annual Opet festival, celebrating the return of the life forces of the god Amun.' Olette-Pelletier said the hieroglyphic cryptographies were a 'true propaganda message' to remind other powerful nobles of Ramses II's mighty sovereignty. The researcher also discovered hidden bull horns on Ramses II's headdress in one scene, which he said meant 'ka' or 'vital force of the divinity.' A rectangle meaning 'to appease' was also present. Olette-Pelletier explains that, when put together, the phrase would read 'Appease the ka-force of Amun,' reminding people to make offerings to the gods. After intense study, the epigraphist identified a total of seven sets of crypto-hieroglyphics on the obelisk. His findings will soon be published in the journal ENIM. 'In our written language, we can now clearly distinguish the text from the image,' Olette-Pelletier said. 'These new discoveries remind us that among the Egyptians, they were one.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
