A French Egyptologist re-examined part of an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus found in 2009 and discovered a text there that a previous group of scientists had overlooked. By deciphering the symbols, the researcher determined that the sarcophagus belongs to Pharaoh II, not to the person whose initials were previously read by experts on the coffin piece. He revealed that it belonged to Ramses. This is new evidence that funerary equipment from the Ancient Egyptian period was used for the second time by later rulers.

In 2009, during excavations in the ancient Egyptian city of Abydos, which was considered an important religious center from the middle of the 4th millennium BC, archaeologists found a granite artifact, part of a sarcophagus. That same year, the find was investigated by a team of American Egyptologists and archaeologists led by Ayman Damrani and Kevin Cahail of the University of Pennsylvania.

Scientists have revealed that the bodies of two people were resting in a traditional ancient Egyptian coffin at different times. This was another evidence against the established opinion in the scientific community – “one sarcophagus for one person”, as if a coffin was designed for every noble lord of ancient Egypt.

Damrani and Kaheil were only able to identify the last owner of the sarcophagus after examining the symbols and hieroglyphs on it. His B.C. XXI, who lived around 1000. It turned out to be Menheperra, the high priest of the dynasty. The name of the original owner remained a mystery. However, archaeologists assumed that the coffin belonged to “a very high-ranking figure of the New Kingdom.”

French Egyptologist Frederic Payraudeau of the Sorbonne University in Paris re-examined the sarcophagus fragment and discovered a cartridge on it that Damrani and Caheil had overlooked. The scientist deciphered it and learned the name of the real owner of the sarcophagus – Ramses II, the third pharaoh of the XIX dynasty of the New Kingdom. The researcher explained this in an article published in the journal. Revue d’Egyptologie.

The cartouche was a combination of hieroglyphs surrounded by an outline, mostly oval. Thus, the Egyptians distinguished the name of the emperor, first the name of the pharaoh, and then the name of his wife. According to the ancient Egyptians, the cartridge had magical protection and was supposed to protect the pharaoh’s name from evil forces at all times.

Ramses II reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC and was one of the most famous ancient Egyptian pharaohs. During his long life (he lived 90 years), Ramses II led many military campaigns, including against the Hittite kingdom, and managed to expand the borders of his empire to the territory of modern Syria.

In addition, the ruler moved the capital to the Delta (city of Per-Ramses), and also built dozens of temples, including the hypostyle hall of the temple of Amun in Karnak, the mortuary temple of Ag I in Abydos, the temple of Amun in Karnak. Ptah at Memphis and a number of other structures. According to various sources, the pharaoh left behind more than a hundred children.

In 1881, archaeologists discovered the remains of almost 50 people, including other rulers (including the father of pharaoh Mere I), family members and representatives of the nobility, in the hiding place of the ancient Egyptian tomb complex. They found the mummy of Ramses. In the Theban necropolis near Deir el-Bahri. Ramses was found wrapped in linen shrouds and placed in a simple wooden coffin with the king’s name on it. The pharaoh’s mummy was probably saved from grave robbers by priests in ancient times and moved there. Obviously this was a temporary measure while the king sought a permanent resting place, but this did not materialize.

In the beginning, II. Ramses’ mummy lay in a makeshift golden coffin (now lost), and after all funeral procedures were completed, the pharaoh’s body was transferred to an alabaster sarcophagus. When the king’s tomb was damaged by robbers and heavy rains, the mummified body was transferred to a granite sarcophagus, which somehow reached Menkheperr several centuries later. He took the sarcophagus to Abydos to use for himself. The priest was later buried there. It was the last piece of the sarcophagus discovered by archaeologists in 2009.

According to Egyptologist Pairodo, this discovery is new evidence that the Valley of the Kings was a favorite place not only of robbers, but also of nobles and rulers. They took items from the dead to reuse for personal burial purposes.