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| One of the most impressive monuments of Thebes is the
mortuary temple of Ramesses II, commonly known as the Ramesseum.
Much of the Ramesseum is very well preserved, so much so that the
vaulted storerooms which once held supplies for the Pharaoh's cult still
survive. In addition the remains of the hypostyle hall and a number of
massive statues all remain to give an idea of the original scale of the
monument. |
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| The state of preservation of the granaries at the
Ramesseum is remarkable. The brick built vaults cover a large area of the
site and would have held food and provisions for the Pharaohs funerary
cult. |
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Ramesses reign was notable for the number of new temples
and buildings he had constructed throughout Egypt, and for the military
campaigns he undertook to secure and expand the borders of the empire.
The battle of Kadesh was one event in Ramesses' reign which he
commemorated on more than one of his monuments. |
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All over the Ramesseum traces of the original colour
remain. These column capitals give some idea of the original quality of
the paintwork with which the whole temple was covered. |
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