#merneptah

[egypt-museum]

Hieroglyphs

Tomb of Merneptah (KV8), Valley of the Kings, Thebes.

[inspofromancientworld]

Merneptah

By Tangopaso - Self-photographed, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138526586

Merneptah, or Merenptah, was pharaoh of Egypt from 13 August 1213 - 2 May 1203 BCE. He was the fourth pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty and the first royal-born pharaoh in over 100 years, since Tutankhamun who reigned from 1332-1323 BCE. His father was Ramesses II, Ramesses the Great, and one of his Great Royal Wves Isetnofret. He was her fourth child and his thirteenth son, and was likely born in 1263 BCE, during the 16th year of Ramesses 66 year long reign. As Ramesses lived so long, outliving many of his heirs, little is known about Merneptah before the 30th year, when he's depicted on a stela found in Aswan and then again in the 33rd year of Ramesses. On both of these, he's shown with his siblings, with his brothers Khaemwaset and Ramesses. By the 40th year of Ramesses' rule, Merneptah was the Overseer of the Army, or General. During Ramesses' 55th year, Merneptah was named crown prince as well as Prince Regent for the last 12 years of his father's reign, when he was 50 years old.

By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55261098

Surviving his father's long reign, Merneptah became pharaoh in 1213 BCE, taking the throne name Ba-en-re Mery-netjeru, meaning 'Soul of Rah, Beloved of the Gods'. He was married to his full sister or niece, Isetnofret II, who was named his Great Royal Wife when he became pharaoh and with whom he had at least two sons, Seti II and Merenptah, and was possibly married to Takhat, who might have been a sister or half-sister. He moved the capital back to Memphis from Pi-Ramesses, where his father had moved it, and built a new palace next to the temple dedicated to Ptah.

By Khruner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30502978

In the fifth year of his reign, he led campaigns against the Libyans who had joined with the Sea Peoples to threaten Egypt. In the midst of this campaign, he won a six-hour battle against the combined forces at Perire, which was likely on the western edge of the Nile Delta. Of this, he records that he gave a rousing speech, that he was 'enraged at their report, like a lion' when he found out the Libyans were attacking. He reportedly had a divine dream where Ptah, a creator deity, gave him a sword and said 'Take though (it) and banish though the fearful heart from thee'. The bowman went forth with 'Amun was with them as a shield'. According to Merneptah, 6,000 enemy soldiers were killed and 9,000 were taken prisoner, counting the dead by taking uncircumcised penises or right hands of those who were circumcised.

By Webscribe - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8206743

There were also revolts in Canaan, which are recorded on what is known as the Merneptah Stele and which reads 'Israel has been wiped out…its seed is no more' which is the first record of the existence of Israel 'not as a country or city, but as a tribe' or people group.

By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122648817

At his death, we know that Merneptah suffered from arthritis and atherosclerosis sometime around the age of 60 based on the study of his mummy, which had been moved sometime in the ancient past from the tomb that held his name in the Valley of the Kings location known as KV8 but was found in KV35. He was '1 meter 714 milimeters [5'6"] in height. Merneptah was almost completely bald, only a narrow fringe of white hair (now cut so close as to be seen only with difficulty) remaining on the temples and occiput. A few short (about 1 mll) black hairs were found on the upper lip and scattered, closely clipped hairs on the cheeks and chin. The general aspect of the face recalls that of Ramesses II, but the form of the cranium and the measurements of the face much more nearly agree with those of his [grand]father, Seti the Great'.

[secretgloria]

This is my take on Seti, Tausret, Merneptah, the Thraco-Trojans (Paris, Hector, Aeneas, Rhesus, and Priam), Bay, Adad-shuma-usur, and Suppiluliuma, all wearing oriental costumes.

Wishing you a vibrant Year of the Horse, where every day is filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. Cheers to good health and happiness this Lunar New Year!

恭喜发财・马到成功 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Inspired by Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want", a part of the Four Freedoms.

[desirepather]

Merneptah Stele | Giza

Just had my mind blown at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. I’m standing in front of the Stele of Merenptah, a granite monument celebrating his campaign against the Libyans in the fifth year of his reign. And oh boy — here’s Merenptah, striding like a warrior-god, young, muscular, practically vibrating with energy, poised before Ra himself, ready to smite some poor soul from the infamous 'Nine Bows.'

Except… a tiny historical quibble: Merenptah was in his 60s when he took the throne. Sixty. Not exactly the age you’d expect to see someone depicted with biceps carved in heroic high relief. His dad, Rameses II, had hogged the throne for decades, and now here’s Merenptah, jumping into war like he’s fresh off the Nile’s gyms. Ancient propaganda, yes — but it hits like a comic book splash page.

Granite, power, politics, and pure theatre — all in one slab. Seriously, if you ever find yourself in Giza, don’t just stare at the pyramids. Step into the museum. History has a flair for the dramatic, and Merenptah’s got the poster-boy energy to prove it.

Egypt, 28 August 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[africasiatours]

The Merneptah Stele. discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896 at Thebes, and now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. which was translated with grave mistakes, and did not the Stele speak of any victories for the king, Its lines engraved in hymns of the God of Min, and the construction of the eleventh structure of the God of Min in karnak. And the construction of the King's Temple. Restructuring the Temple of Abydos, reviving some religious rituals. [part1], in the following article, a textual translation of the Merneptah Stele and its comparison with the inscriptions of Thutmose III's Stele, which were found in Karnak. #iregipto #egyptpassion #mbplanet #history #historic #luxor #Egypt #merneptah #egyptianmuseum #temple #thutmoseiii (at Egyptian Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTH1zu8j2wJ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mostly-history]

Door jamb (1.18m high) from the Palace of Merneptah (19th Dynasty, 1213 – 1204 BC).

The limestone relief shows Merneptah, accompanied by a lioness, attacking his enemies.  He is wearing the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.  Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty.

The battle really happened, but the depiction also represents the royal ideology of the pharaoh dominating all foreigners.  It provides magical protection against any supernatural evil that might enter through the doorway.

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Shabti of Merneptah. Period: New Kingdom, Ramesside Dynasty: 19th Dynasty Reign: reign of Merneptah Date: ca. 1213–1203 B.C. Geography: From Egypt; Probably from Upper Egypt, Thebes Medium: Limestone

[egypt-museum]

Tomb of King Merneptah

The largest king's sarcophagus in Egypt belongs to King Merneptah, from the 19th Dynasty; his red granite sarcophagus was massive, part of a series of four nested coffins, though it was later broken by ancient robbers, with fragments now being reconstructed by archaeologists in the Valley of the Kings (KV8).

Photo: Brian Brake