HEAD OF RAMSES
Head of Ramses
This painted head is part of a giant statue of pharaoh Ramses II in the guise of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. It once decorated a temple of Ramses II at Abydos, the holy city of Osiris, and the place where the Egyptians believed the god was actually buried.
Many Egyptian pharaohs built temples that honored Osiris in order to connect themselves with the god. Ramses II, who was one of the greatest temple builders in Egyptian history, was not content with only one temple at Abydos, so he built two. This statue of Ramses belongs to a building called the "Portal Temple" which was located next to the main temple of Osiris, and beside a sacred road that led to the tomb of Osiris in the desert.
Ramses II is well known for the gigantic scale of his temples. This head of the pharaoh would once have stood atop a 30-foot tall statue. Other identical figures would have lined a colonnade.
Many Egyptian pharaohs built temples that honored Osiris in order to connect themselves with the god. Ramses II, who was one of the greatest temple builders in Egyptian history, was not content with only one temple at Abydos, so he built two. This statue of Ramses belongs to a building called the "Portal Temple" which was located next to the main temple of Osiris, and beside a sacred road that led to the tomb of Osiris in the desert.
Ramses II is well known for the gigantic scale of his temples. This head of the pharaoh would once have stood atop a 30-foot tall statue. Other identical figures would have lined a colonnade.
