In the grand necropolis of ancient Thebes on the west bank of the Nile stands a sprawling mortuary complex to one of ancient Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. Known as the Ramesseum, this mortuary temple was a place of worship to the dead Pharaoh Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great. Great columns rise in lines
It never rains but it pours when it comes to the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, said nobody ever, but the metaphor certainly seems appropriate at the moment. A month ago we reported on the first discovery of an Egyptian Royal tomb (from a period of united Egypt) in a century, then a hoped-for second
Remember last week when we reported that the first Egyptian Royal Tomb in a century had been discovered? Well, the team who found the tomb of Thutmose II may just have done it again. Last week Piers Litherland, leader of a team of archaeologists exploring the mountains near the famous Valley of the Kings close
The 18th Dynasty of Egypt was the start of its last golden age as a superpower. Its founder, Ahmose I, rose to control the whole of the Nile, expelling the mysterious semitic Hyksos rulers in the north and freeing Egypt from their rule for the first time in generations. The pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty,
A new and unknown Egyptian tomb has been found in Luxor in Egypt. What makes this discovery so exciting is that, while most tombs are empty or partially destroyed, this one contains intact burials. The Egyptians viewed the afterlife as the start of a journey for which life was only the prelude. As a result
The pyramids were old for most of Egyptian history. Of the three great kingdoms that this old and powerful civilization spawned, it was the Old Kingdom who were known as the pyramid builders. Such a labor-intensive investment in the afterlife was something which could be justified only in the initial enthusiasm of Egypt’s new religion.