Obelisk Of Ramesses II

The mighty stone monuments of ancient Egypt known as obelisks, a word derived from the Greek obeliskos, meaning “skewer” or “spit,” were known in Egyptian as tekhenu, which means “to pierce.” These monolithic, four-sided, pyramid-topped pillars rose high into the Egyptian sky, symbols of the sun god, Ra, and of sun worship, as well as of the power of the pharaoh and his relationship to the gods.

The Obelisk of Ramses II found at San Elhagar. The obelisk was found broken into two pieces and separated from the base. The top piece of the obelisk with hieroglyphic carvings. The cartouche at the bottom face of the obelisk has the names of King Ramses II, which are the same carvings shown on the obelisk side. Carvings Birth name: Ra-ms-sw mry-Imn “Born is the God Ra, beloved of Amun”. Name of the throne (patron surname): Wsr-mAat-Ra stp-n-Ra “Strong is the justice of Ra, the chosen one of Ra”.

Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, who probably was the pharaoh of the Exodus, was one of the greatest and one the most powerful pharaohs of Egypt. History celebrates Ramses as a great builder of cities, temples, and monuments. According to the biblical text, it was he who built the supply cities of Pithom and Rameses (Exodus 1:11). The many obelisks of Ramses II found in several cities of Europe show that Ramses is still remembered by the legacy he left behind.