Ramesses, Loved by Ptah: The History of a Colossal Royal Statue

The 3,200-year-old Grand Egyptian Museum Ramesses statue is a colossal red granite statue of King Ramesses II, who ruled Egypt for sixty-six years during the Nineteenth Dynasty. This book recounts the statue's creation, installation in the Great Temple of Ptah at Memphis, reuse by Ramesses IV, and its history during the Greco-Roman and Islamic Periods. It also provides an overview of how statues were made in ancient Egypt and discusses the statue cults of Ramesses II, kingship, temples, and the expansion of the New Kingdom capital city of Memphis and its temples.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 140 pages
Publication date: 10 January 2023
Publisher: American University in Cairo Press

King Ramesses II, a renowned warrior and extravagant builder, reigned over Egypt for an astonishing sixty-six years (1279–1213 BC) during the Nineteenth Dynasty. He fathered numerous children and is widely celebrated as the most illustrious and influential pharaoh of the New Kingdom.

This captivating book delves into the dramatic history of the renowned red granite colossal statue of Ramesses II, currently residing in Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum. One of the largest statues ever created, it stands as a prominent landmark in modern Cairo, lending its name to Ramses Square and the city's central train station. The statue's significance was so profound that it featured prominently in numerous Egyptian films. Susanna Thomas meticulously chronicles the entire journey of the statue's creation and installation in the Great Temple of Ptah at Memphis during the reign of Ramesses II. She also explores its reuse by Ramesses IV and the subsequent history of the statue during the Greco-Roman and Islamic Periods.

The book offers a comprehensive overview of the ancient Egyptian art of statue-making, including a brief discussion of the statue cults associated with Ramesses II, kingship, temples, and the expansion of the New Kingdom capital city of Memphis and its temples. The final section covers the statue's rediscovery and subsequent rescue in the mid-nineteenth century, leading to its installation in the entrance hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza.

Written by a New Kingdom specialist and curatorial expert, Ramesses, Beloved by Ptah, presents the fascinating story of this magnificent statue within the broader context of statue cults and the reign of Ramesses II. The book is adorned with over 130 captivating images, further enhancing the reader's experience.

ISBN-13: 9781649031853