The memorial temple of Ramesses II, also called simply Ramesseum contains a minor list of pharaohs of ancient Egypt. The scene with the list was first published by Jean-Francois Champollion in 1845,[1] and by Karl Richard Lepsius four years later.[2]

The upper register of the second western pylon, shows a processions where ancestors of Ramesses II are honored at ceremonies of the festival of Min. It contains 19 cartouches with the names of 14 pharaohs. Notably, Hatshepsut and the Amarna pharaohs are omitted.

Drawing of the Ramesseum King list of Ramesses II

Kings names mentioned

The scene is divided in two parts, one with 14 statues of the ancestral kings being carried in a procession on the left side. The second part is a procession led by six kings, but only the name of five remain.

Left procession Right procession
# Pharaoh Inscription (throne name) # Pharaoh Inscription (throne name)
1 Thutmose I Aakheperkare 15 Horemheb Djeserkheperure-setepenre
2 Amenhotep I Djeserkare 16 Amenhotep III Nebmaatre
3 Ahmose I Nebpehtyre 17 Thutmose IV Menkheperure
4 Mentuhotep II Nebhepetre 18 Amenhotep II Aakheperure
5 Menes Meni 19 Thutmose III Menkheperre
6 Ramesses II Usermaatre-setepenre
7 Seti I Menmaatre
8 Ramesses I Menpehtyre
9 Horemheb Djeserkheperure-setepenre
10 Amenhotep III Nebmaatre
11 Thutmose IV Menkheperure
12 Amenhotep II Aakheperure
13 Thutmose III Menkheperre
14 Thutmose II Aakheperenre

The scene remains in situ in the upper register of the second western pylon. The later Medinet Habu king list of Ramesses III is very similar in design, but only lists nine pharaohs.

References

  1. ^ Jean-François Champollion (1845). Monuments de l'Égypte et de la Nubie, Vol II, plates 149bis-150, Paris
  2. ^ Carl Richard Lepsius (1849). Denkmaeler aus Aegypten und Aethiopien, III, plate 163, Leipzig

Bibliography

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