Of all of the Egyptian pharaohs, perhaps none can be said to be as productive as Ramses II. Ramses II was the pharaoh who would have one of the longest recorded reigns — sixty-seven years, would fight more battles, and would produce more statuary and construct more buildings than any other ruler of ancient Egypt. He was also the most prolific ruler, having fathered more children than any other king. Often, Ramses II is referred to as the pharaoh of the Exodus. The Egyptian archaeological and textual sources, however, are mute on this subject.
Ramses died in the sixty-seventh year of his reign, probably a few years beyond his ninetieth birthday. In terms of accomplishments, he may be ranked as one of the most important and effective rulers of the ancient world. It was his thirteenth son, Merenptah, who succeeded him.
Here in our galleries, we have several objects related to this king’s reign, such as the colossal head of Osiris with the features of Ramses II (found at Abydos) and the relief of Ramses II smiting an enemy( from Tell el-Retaba)
This eight foot tall seated statue is one of the largest. On stylistic grounds, it is believed this statue was originally carved in the Middle Kingdom (1980-1630 BCE) and later usurped by Ramses II, who added his names in the deep-cut inscriptions on the throne and base.
Penn Museum Object #E635
See this and other objects like it on Penn Museum’s Online Collection Database