This colossal limestone statue of Ramesses II once stood before the great Temple of Ptah at Memphis. The statue’s face gives Ramesses a sublime air of regal confidence and helps this king loom large in the public’s eye.
Even in its damaged state, it is nearly 11 metres long. It is statues like this that give us cause to give Ramesses II the epithet, "the Great".
Ramesses II was the third pharaoh of Egypt’s 19th Dynasty, about 3,200 years ago. He reigned for around 66 years and filled the land with imposing monuments to his own glory.
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Photo: Capto Amos.