Limestone Lintel of Ramesses III (Acc. 3310)

Large sandstone lintel, inscribed in deep, sunken hieroglyphs on one side, and painted on the other. The carved side has a winged sun disc at the top, and two lines of hieroglyphs with the cartouches (name rings) of king Ramesses III.

The painted side (above) shows the sacred boat of the god Sokar, standing in a pavilion. On the left, the goddess Isis raises her hands in prayer or adoration. On the right, her sister, the goddess Nephthys, does the same. Behind each goddess, three guardian gods, holding knives, are shown kneeling, to protect the goddesses and the sacred boat.

This lintel was found in one of the many small, mud-brick rooms and chapels that were built around the earlier temple of king Ramesses II, known as the Ramesseum.

See also object 3312 (the other half of this lintel), and objects 2935 and 3314.

53.5 x 76.0 20th Dynasty Thebes: Ramesseum, Upper Egypt Acquisition: Haworth, Mr Jesse (Donation, 1895-1896)

Bibliography

J. E. Quibell, "The Ramesseum (and Tomb of Ptah-Hetep)" (BSAE and Bernard Quaritch, London, 1898)

Pg. 9 "15. By the door of one room (110) lay a sandstone lintel (PL. XIV). On one side it is inscribed, in very deep cutting, with the names of Rameses III; on the other side is painted on fine white plaster a scene of the bark of Osiris in its pavilion with Isis and Nebhat on either side. Only four colours, blue, red, yellow and a dull green, are used. Of this a coloured copy has been made."