Latest news with #RamessesII
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The Grand Egyptian Museum Opens This November — A New Chapter in Egypt's Ancient Story
It's finally happening! The much-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is all set to open this November. It won't be wrong to say that it is Egypt's most ambitious cultural project and the whole world was eagerly waiting for it. The GEM (perfect acronym!) is built just outside Cairo close to the world-famous Giza Pyramids. The museum will officially open to the public on November 1, 2025. It is being touted as a game-changer for both global tourism which will add to Egypt's landmark. So why is the world waiting for it? Because it's not just a museum but a tribute to one of the most interesting civilizations in history! Let's have a look what makes it so special: World's largest museum dedicated to one civilization Yes, you read that right! Once launched, the GEM will become the largest museum in the world dedicated to one single civilization as it is built in a huge 50 hectares at the edge of the Giza Plateau. For those who don't know, the has been under construction from past 20 years now! There had been multiple issues and delays mainly because of political tensions and money, among others. Commendable architecture You'll not believe your eyes when you see the museum's architecture which is commendable! It has been built in a modern, angular design which mirrors the geometry of the pyramids. You can walk through the main entrance, and be welcomed by a towering 83-ton red granite statue of Ramesses II. It dominates the Grand Hall like a sentinel of the ancient world. Tutankhamun Experience One of the many draws of the museum is the Tutankhamun Experience! There is a full display of King Tutankhamun's collection which is like over a thousand objects that were found in his tomb. As of now, very little of these collections were on display at the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. But it will be the first time ever that visitors will get a closer look into Tutankhamun's golden funerary mask, his jewelry, weapons, chariots, and other items. Every item here tells tales from the past. It's a priceless collection and is so huge that it is enough to fill a museum! 3,000+ Years of History on Display As of now, the museum will showcase more than 100,000 artifacts. These are set across 12 expansive galleries and the exhibitions are built around three core themes namely Kingship, Society, and Beliefs. What sets GEM apart from other museums is how it blends ancient artifacts with modern storytelling. There will be immersive displays and interactive exhibits too. Soft launch in 2024 A soft launch was done in late 2024. It offered visitors a peek into the lives of Egyptians from the bygone time. During that phase, guests were allowed to explore select areas like the Grand Staircase, gift shops, cafes, and a few main galleries. But the full museum — including the complete Tutankhamun wing and several immersive experiences — will finally be open this November. In addition to the museum, the area has gardens, educational centers, restaurants, and more. The museum is also expected to significantly boost tourism, attracting millions of visitors annually. The GEM promises to be well worth the wait! So if you're planning a trip to Egypt anytime this year, November is the best time to go.
Sydney Morning Herald
21-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Controversies aside, this remains one of the greatest museums on Earth
This article is part of Traveller's Destination Guide to London. See all stories. Seven wonders of the British Museum, London Containing vast collections of treasures from the ancient world, the British Museum in London is a prodigious source of education and wow moments. Enter the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos The Mausoleum of Halikarnassos – the giant ornamental tomb created for King Maussollos of Karia, south-west Turkey – was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. These days, significant sections of the 40-metre-tall, 2300-year-old mausoleum are inside Room 21 of the British Museum. These include the Amazon frieze, depicting Herakles and Theseus battling with the Amazon women, the massive statue of Maussollos and – most photo-friendly of all – one of the giant marble horses from the tomb roof. Say hi to Ramesses II For many visitors, the Egyptian collection is the British Museum's highlight. There are several rooms of mummies on the first floor, but the most striking single piece is the partially damaged 2.7-metre statue of Pharoah Ramesses II in Room 4. Originally from the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II in Thebes, where the lower part of the statue is still in situ, this grey-pink granite behemoth was carved from one block of stone, then transported on sleds overland before being taken on a purpose-built boat along the River Nile.
The Age
21-07-2025
- The Age
Controversies aside, this remains one of the greatest museums on Earth
This article is part of Traveller's Destination Guide to London. See all stories. Seven wonders of the British Museum, London Containing vast collections of treasures from the ancient world, the British Museum in London is a prodigious source of education and wow moments. Enter the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos The Mausoleum of Halikarnassos – the giant ornamental tomb created for King Maussollos of Karia, south-west Turkey – was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. These days, significant sections of the 40-metre-tall, 2300-year-old mausoleum are inside Room 21 of the British Museum. These include the Amazon frieze, depicting Herakles and Theseus battling with the Amazon women, the massive statue of Maussollos and – most photo-friendly of all – one of the giant marble horses from the tomb roof. Say hi to Ramesses II For many visitors, the Egyptian collection is the British Museum's highlight. There are several rooms of mummies on the first floor, but the most striking single piece is the partially damaged 2.7-metre statue of Pharoah Ramesses II in Room 4. Originally from the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II in Thebes, where the lower part of the statue is still in situ, this grey-pink granite behemoth was carved from one block of stone, then transported on sleds overland before being taken on a purpose-built boat along the River Nile.
Egypt Today
24-06-2025
- Egypt Today
New Archaeological Discovery in Sharqiya Reveals Lost City of 'Emet'
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced a groundbreaking discovery at Tell El-Fara'in (Tell Nebesha) in Sharqiya Governorate. A British archaeological team from the University of Manchester uncovered the ruins of the ancient city of 'Emet,' dating back to the early or mid-4th century BC. Among the findings, multi-story residential buildings ('tower houses'), known for their thick foundations, storage facilities for grain and animal shelters, structures once part of a ceremonial processional route, a limestone temple floor, and remains of mudbrick columns likely covered in plaster. A bronze sistrum (musical instrument) adorned with Hathor heads, a finely crafted green faience ushabti figurine from the 26th Dynasty, and a rare stela depicting Horus standing on crocodiles, holding serpents, topped by the god Bes were also uncovered. In the temple area, archaeologists also found signs that the processional road connecting Late Period monuments to the Temple of Wadjet was decommissioned by the mid-Ptolemaic era. The temple was rebuilt during the reigns of Ramesses II and Ahmose II, and later repurposed as a quarry during the Achaemenid period. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy praised the discovery as a major step toward enriching Egypt's cultural heritage and deepening understanding of daily life and religious practices during the Late and early Ptolemaic periods. According to Dr. Nicky Nielsen, the mission's director, the city of Emet once stood as a key population center in Lower Egypt, especially during the New Kingdom and Late Period, and was home to a significant temple dedicated to the goddess Wadjet, whose ruins still dominate the western part of the site. This discovery opens new doors for research into one of the Delta's most important ancient cities.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How did Ramesses II die — and did his more than 100 children fight for the throne?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The pharaoh Ramesses II is one of the best known warrior rulers of ancient Egypt, famous for his military victories and great public works. He ruled Egypt for two-thirds of a century (roughly 1279 to 1213 B.C.) during the New Kingdom period, and died when he was around 90 years old, an astonishing age for the time. But how did Ramesses II die and what happened following the celebrated pharaoh's death? First, let's start with Ramesses II's ascension to the throne. He became pharaoh after his father Seti I (ruled circa 1294 to 1279 B.C.) died. At the start of his reign, Ramesses II was at war with the Hittites, a kingdom based in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), and fought a major battle against them, now known as the "Battle of Kadesh", in what is now Syria around 1275 B.C. While Ramesses II claimed victory, modern-day historians tend to believe that neither side won the battle. Ramesses II made peace with the Hittites around 1258 B.C. and took a Hittite princess as one of his wives. Like other Egyptian pharaohs, he practiced polygamy and had many wives and concubines. Toby Wilkinson, an Egyptologist at the University of Cambridge, estimates in his book "Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings" (Yale University Press, 2023) that he had around 100 children. The pharaoh also built a new capital called "Pi-Ramesses" (also known as "Per-Ramesses") in the eastern Nile delta near the modern-day village of Qantir. The "entire city bore the unmistakable footprint of its pharaonic foundation," Wilkinson wrote, noting that it had at least 50 colossal statues of Ramesses II, most of which were built during his lifetime. When Ramesses II died, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. After this tomb was plundered, his mummy was placed, along with other royal mummies, in a cache at Deir el-Bahari. His mummy is now located in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. Analyses of Ramesses II's mummy have provided insights into his cause of death. Sahar Saleem, a professor of radiology at Cairo University who has studied the mummy of Ramesses II extensively, told Live Science in an email that "Ramesses II was likely crippled by arthritis and walked with a hunched back for several years in later life. He also suffered from severe dental disease, which may have caused chronic pain or infection. However, no definitive cause of death was identified on CT (computed tomography) scans." In all likelihood he died of natural causes, Saleem said. The fact that Ramesses II lived to around age 90 was, in itself, quite a feat in ancient Egypt. At the time "most people died well before their 40th birthday and he was on the throne for two or three generations," Susanna Thomas, an Egyptologist who works at the Grand Egyptian Museum, told Live Science in an email. Ramessees II outlived many of his wives and children and it was Merneptah, his 13th-oldest son, who succeeded him as pharaoh. Thomas noted that there is no evidence of any fighting over the throne when Merneptah became pharaoh. "Twelve of his elder brothers had died before him and frankly he [Merneptah] was just next in line," Thomas said. Merneptah was probably already in his sixties when he became pharaoh and he launched a program of building new palaces and other buildings, Thomas said. While Merneptah's accession occurred without incident, his successors did face internal strife. "Ramesses II grandson Seti II has to deal with an usurper [named Amenmesse] who seems to have been successful in ruling over Upper Egypt for a couple of years" Henning Franzmeier, a senior research affiliate at the Cyprus Institute who is the field director of excavations at Pi-Ramesses, told Live Science in an email. Some of Seti II's successors also faced quarrels over the throne. The vast number of children that Ramesses II had complicated questions over succession as his descendants vied for power. There were "hundreds of members of the royal family who might have felt inclined to seek for power," Franzmeier said. In addition to internal turmoil, Egypt experienced invasions from a group known as the "Sea Peoples." One invasion occurred during Merneptah's reign while another occurred during the reign of Ramesses III (reign circa 1184 to 1153 B.C.). The internal quarrels over the throne, along with problems dealing with the Sea Peoples invasions, "ultimately led to the decline of royal power in Egypt," Franzmeier said. Ramesses II was so powerful, he was worshipped in life as a living god. And even after death, his cult continued to some degree. RELATED STORIES —Ramesses II's sarcophagus finally identified thanks to overlooked hieroglyphics —Ancient tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses II official discovered at Saqqara —Archaeologists find top half of giant Ramesses II statue, completing a century-long puzzle "Surprisingly his cult is not attested widely after his death — although bits and pieces of evidence do appear," Campbell Price, a curator of Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester Museum, told Live Science in an email. A sarcophagus mentions a priest devoted to the worship of Ramesses II who lived at the site of Abydos during the Ptolemaic period (circa 304 to 30 B.C.) Price said. This means that some people were still worshipping Ramesses II 1,000 years after he died. Price noted that pharaohs named themselves "Ramesses" or "Usermaatre" (his throne name) for centuries after Ramesses II's death. Pharaohs also treated items of his with great respect. "Objects from his robbed tomb were clearly prized heirlooms and were incorporated into later royal burials at Tanis [an ancient city], surely with a sense of reverence for their illustrious ancestor," Price said.
