Description

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple (or mortuary temple) of Pharaoh Ramesses II ("Ramesses the Great", also spelled "Ramses" and "Rameses"). It is located in the Theban Necropolis in Upper Egypt, on the west of the River Nile, across from the modern city of Luxor. The name – or at least its French form Rhamesséion – was coined by Jean-François Champollion, who visited the ruins of the site in 1829 and first identified the hieroglyphs making up Ramesses's names and titles on the walls. It was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amon. Usermaatra-setepenra was the prenomen of Ramesses II.

Obverse

Depicts the fallen Ozymandias Colossus.

View of Osiride portico at the Ramesseum, the mortuary temple of Rameses II (1279-1213 BC), with, on the right, the remains of the fallen and broken Colossus. Three local men, one accompanied by a donkey, are visible in the middle ground. The temple was the site where a torso of a seated colossal statue of Rameses II was discovered. The statue, originally around 20 metres high, was known as Ozymandias colossus after a Greek transliteration by Diodorus Siculus (first century BC) of the first part of Rameses's prenomen, Usermaatre Setepenre ('Powerful one of Maat, the justice of Re is powerful, chosen of Re'), carved on the shoulder. This is said to have inspired the sonnet 'Ozymandias' by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), published in 1818. In the same year, London saw the arrival of the colossal statue of Rameses II from the Ramesseum which was later displayed at the British Museum where it is still exhibited today. At the time, the statue was known as the 'Younger Memnon' after the two colossal statues of Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC), standing not far from the mortuary temple, which had been associated with Memnon since classical times (and still commonly known today as the Colossi of Memnon). The association with the Homeric character lies on the fact that an earthquake, occurred in 27 BC, damaged the northern colossus, creating a sort of flaw in the stone which started producing a characteristic whistling sound each morning and which was interpreted as Memnon singing to Eos, his mother, the goddess of the dawn. The statue was repaired in the third century and the phenomenon stopped occurring. As a result of the association of the colossi with Memnon, though, the whole are was known as Memnonia and the Ramesseum as the Memnonium.

Reverse

Stylized state name (Arab Republic of Egypt) divides denomination in Arabic and English and abbreviation of state name (A.R.E.) below, the date in Arabic (Hijri) and Western (Georgian) divides by a vulture with open wings. Engraver's initials (ECC) below.

In Ancient Egypt, the vulture hieroglyph was the uniliteral sign used for the glottal sound (/ɑː/). The bird was held sacred to Isis in ancient Egyptian religion. The use of the vulture as a symbol of royalty in Egyptian culture and their protection by Pharaonic law made the species common on the streets of Egypt and gave rise to the name "pharaoh's chicken".

5 ٥ جمهورية مصر العربية
LE جـ
A.R.E.
1415 1994 ECC ١٤١٥ ١٩٩٤

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.999
Weight 22.5 g
Diameter 39 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Mexican Mint (Mo)

Related coins

Pharaoh Ramesses III

Pharaonic Treasure / Ancient Egyptian Art

Silver, 22.5 g, ⌀ 39 mm
Cleopatra Bust

Pharaonic Treasure / Ancient Egyptian Art

Silver, 22.5 g, ⌀ 39 mm
Giza Pyramid Complex

Pharaonic Treasure / Ancient Egyptian Art

Silver, 22.5 g, ⌀ 39 mm