Item Size:  13" High     Type:  Statue on Base

Material:  Casting Stone, with Antique Stone Finish

Original:  19th Dynasty, 1250 B.C.E.

Current Location of Original:  Egyptian Museum, Turin, Italy

Ramses II belonged to the 19th Dynasty, and was the son of Seti I. He was crowned Pharaoh in 1290 B.C.E., when he was just 18 years old. The most celebrated of all pharaohs, Ramses II is well-known for the length of his reign, the numerous temples he built, and his military campaigns. In the Battle of Kadesh, Ramses II faced the army of Muwattali, King of the Hittites. Here the Pharaoh found himself surrounded by 2,500 Hittite charioteers, with only his personal bodyguard to help him. As the enemy closed in, Ramses II leapt into his chariot, tied the reins round his waist to keep his hands free, and, with a cry to the Egyptian god Amun, charged six times against the Hittites. Finally he broke through, winning the battle. Ramses II had many wives, but his first and favorite queen was Nefertari. He died at the age of 85, after ruling Egypt for 67 years. This reproduction is taken from a seated statue of Ramses II, and is a portrait of the King as a young man. It combines a sense of both grandeur and grace.