Ramesses goes back to school. Luxor Temple is a magnificent monument, in a city full of them. The sanctuary you visit today is, in large part, the work of Ramesses' early reign. New pylons, colossal statues, obelisks, and dedicatory texts provide the testament to the young pharaoh's work. Exploring these, we also get a surprising insight into temple archives and educational facilities, embodied in the Per-Ankh / House of Life...

Outro music: Jeffrey Goodman, "Prophetic Harps of Amun-Ra," used with permission.

Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.

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Delta raiders. Decades before their famous migrations, the "Sea Peoples" were already active and visible in the eastern Mediterranean; and Ramesses II had his own dealings with these groups. In year 2 of his reign, Ramesses II (Usir-Ma'at-Ra) dealt with a coastal raid by the Sherden, who came from the "islands in the midst" of the sea (which the Egyptians called the "Great Green"). The battle, and its aftermath, is referenced in several of Ramesses' inscriptions. We explore this curious first chapter in the Sea Peoples' story...

Music: Michael Levy "Odysseus and the Sirens” www.ancientlyre.com

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The new royal tomb, and how two 18th Dynasty rulers defined the "New Kingdom" as we know it. Prof. Aidan Dodson is a dedicated and prolific scholar, whose research covers many facets of ancient Egyptian history (and even WW1 warships!) His latest book, Thutmose III & Hatshepsut: Pharaohs of Egypt - Their Lives and Afterlives looks at how these two monarchs, and their followers, defined many of the aspects of "pharaonic culture" as we imagine it. Along the way, we also discuss the new royal tomb, its significance, and its connection to these famous figures.

Prof. Aidan Dodson at Academia.edu and the University of Bristol.

Book: Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, Pharaohs of Egypt at AUC Press.

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A death at Karnak, and a lion amongst men. In regnal year 1 (c.1292 BCE), Ramesses II was at Abdju / Abydos. While there, he appointed a new First Priest of Amun (Hem Netjer Tepy en Imen). He chose his candidate by consulting the deity directly, engaging in an oracle with Amun to choose the best option.

Shortly after, Ramesses departed Abdju and continued his northward journey. Eventually, he came to Giza, home of the Great Sphinx and the deity that inhabited it...

The History of Egypt Podcast:

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Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com.

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Ramesses had a lot to plan for, in his first year of rule (c.1292 BCE). Staying in Waset / Luxor, the new pharaoh began building work on his tomb (KV7) and his memorial temple (The Ramesseum). Archaeological records testify to both of these projects. Then, the King immortalised his late father, the Osiris Sety I, in scenes of worship at Karnak. Finally, Ramesses left Waset, heading north; but he stopped at Abdju / Abydos on his way. There to commune with Osiris (Sety) once more, and to address some glaring issues...

Chapters:

00:00 Building KV7 and the Ramesseum

04:55 Ramesses celebrates the Opet Festival

12:15 Ramesses honours Sety at Karnak

17:32 Ramesses at Abydos and the "Great Abydos Dedication" text

39:18 Summary and Conclusion

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In the annals of Egyptian history there is no one quite like Ramesses II. He is arguably the most famous, or infamous, of Egypt’s pharaohs. His reign would be long (67 years!) and his influence would be incalculable. In this episode, Ramesses "appears" as King, following the death of his father (III Shemu 27). He chooses his royal names (Usir-Ma'at-Ra, Ramesses Beloved of Amun). He buries Sety, in the Valley of the Kings. And he goes before the gods to receive blessings and power...

Episode chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Ramesses II

04:20 - Ramesses Accession Date & Royal Names

12:56 - The Funeral of Sety I (Horus buries Osiris)

20:50 - Ramesses goes before the gods

43:22 - Conclusion

For the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, and Ramesses’ “coronation” scenes, see the following volumes:

Nelson (1981). The Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Volume 1, Part 1: The Wall Reliefs https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/great-hypostyle-hall-karnak-volume-1-part-1-wall-reliefs

Brand et al. (2018). The Great Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Amun at Karnak Volume 1, Part 2: Translation and Commentary. https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/oip-142-great-hypostyle-hall-temple-amun-karnak

The History of Egypt Podcast:

Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.

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The coffin of Sety I (now in the NMEC) was probably reworked from an earlier piece, during the reburials in DB320 (the royal cache). But how can we tell? Dr. Peter Lacovara explains.

Dr. Lacovara's website https://peterlacovara.com/

Video version available at Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast

Video version available on YouTube https://youtu.be/6e1fauj4qPA

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Sety’s royal burial. Valley of the Kings tomb 17 (KV17) came to light in October 1817. Discovered by a team of Egyptian workers, employed by Giovanni Belzoni, the tomb is the most beautiful, and one of the largest, in the entire Valley.

==

Learn more about KV17:

3D Tour by Mused: https://mused.com/tours/926/tomb-of-seti-i-valley-of-the-kings/

Theban Mapping Project https://thebanmappingproject.com/tombs/kv-17-sety-i

Photos: Kairoinfo4u via https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157687439529835/

KV17 at Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:KV17

==

The History of Egypt Podcast:

Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com

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Approach with caution. In March 2025, a group calling itself the “Khafre Research Project” posted visual information online about the pyramid of Khafra at Giza. The group claims that Synthetic Aperture Radar (or SAR) scans at Giza have revealed “structures” beneath the pyramids. Using digital modelling (and some AI), they suggest that Khafra’s pyramid and the Giza plateau hide many more chambers. There are a couple facets to this.

The 2022 article publishing raw data about SAR scanning at Giza: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/20/5231

Overview of claims and evidence: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pyramids-of-giza-new-discovery-structures/

I don't usually do "debunking" content or engage with pseudoscience directly. If you'd like to learn more about the truth vs fiction, consider following these creators:

Milo Rossi (Miniminuteman): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TgAp_Ry6dcM

Stefan Milo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=341Lv8JLLV4

Flint Dibble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQMfGuKgTwU

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News from the Field (2025) Part 2. The past excavation

season has been extraordinarily productive. Beyond the new royal tomb of

Thutmose II we also have a SECOND royal tomb, at Abydos! The Grand Egyptian

Museum is finally opening in full. And archaeological teams throughout the land

have uncovered wonderful things. We also remember some prominent scholars who

passed away recently.

Chapter times and links to discovery reports with photos:

00:22 – New tombs at Asasif https://southasasif.wordpress.com/2024/11/01/discovery-announcement/.

02:21 – New tombs at Dra Abu Naga https://www.facebook.com/tourismandantiq/posts/pfbid02eqYh7RAiCqrxxDir9Pvbhu4YV1samnfLLtdJUfgNqvNbF6mVHWYkMGHTWixL7efjl

04:31 – Hatshepsut’s Valley Temple discoveries https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/538198.aspx

09:08 – Karnak Treasure Hoard https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/541255.aspx

10:50 – New tombs at Saqqara https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/537986.aspx

12:29 – Bastet Tooth, ancient predator https://www.sci.news/paleontology/bastetodon-syrtos-13673.html

and https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2442472

13:52 – Gold Mines in the Eastern Desert https://www.facebook.com/luxortimesmagazine/posts/pfbid024ATNP7GsdFwC35EgngA7Ys51MrwjrzsMPvPMXkty4oMt1SLC46g1tmRBVSEfpyXEl

15:28 – The Grand Egyptian Museum OPENING https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1238/539361/Egypt/Tourism/A-world-gem-Grand-Egyptian-Museum-set-for-grand-op.aspx

20:18 – Obituaries 2024 & 2025.

31:24 – Breaking News: New Royal Tomb at Abydos https://www.egyptindependent.com/royal-cemetery-from-second-intermediate-period-and-pottery-workshop-discovered-in-sohag/

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