Pi-Ramesses

Pi -Ramesses (Arabic Qantir; ancient Egyptian Per- Ra - mes ( i) -su - meri -Amun -pa -ka -aa -en -pa -Ra -Hor - Achti ) was the Ramses II around 1278 BC BC capital of ancient Egypt was built. Shortly after the death of his father Seti I, Ramses II said about 1 km west of the old Hyksosstadt Auaris located in the eastern Nile Delta Summer Palace, which was built by his father, to the heart of his new capital.

Ramses III. changed during his reign the city name of "House of Ramses II " in "House of Ramses III. , ruler of Iunu, great in victories ." The modern name " The Turquoise " became a city due to the turquoise tiles found there during excavations.

According to Old Testament tradition, this city was one of the places where the events of the Exodus from Egypt took place (Ex 1.11 EU; 12.37 EU; Num 33,3.5 EU). The later to become children of Israel said to have been forced to forced labor in the construction of ( Pi ) Ramesse. From there, they were later moved out of Egypt.

  • 3.1 Older excavations

Pi -Ramesses

Location and extent

Pi -Ramesses is located on the eastern edge of the Nile Delta, in today's government Ash- Sharqiyah. It was applied between the Pelusiac branch of the Nile and the drainage system of the Bahr el- Baqar. At the time of its greatest expansion included the urban area - including water and agricultural land and other economic areas - up to 30 km ². The town center was located in the area of ​​modern resort Qantir.

The city

The plan of the city so far is limited, only partially clarified by the widespread destruction, both in ancient times and in modern times. The ancient Egyptian sources show that the city obviously should correspond to the old capitals of Thebes and Memphis in splendor and size.

Pi -Ramesses to have been not only a beautiful city but also of military importance, as finds of workshops of the armory, stables and barracks suggest. The situation in the eastern Nile Delta made ​​it to the Egyptian army very easy to get quickly to the Levant via the so-called Horusweg. Situated between the Pelusiac branch of the Nile and the wetlands of the Bahr el- Baqar the city itself was well protected against attacks. The pelusische branch of the Nile was also an excellent transportation, both to the Mediterranean and into Egypt.

Pi -Ramesses under Ramses III.

The Papyrus Anastasi II refers to the period under Ramses III. :

"His Majesty ( Ramses III. ) Has built a castle, " United to victory " is his name. It lies between Retjenu and Tameri, full of food and dining. It is made according to the type of Iunu by Month and his life is like that of Hut -ka- Ptah. The sun rises in its two Bergen light, it gets lost in its interior. All the people left their cities and settle in his district. His west is the temple of Amun, his south a temple of Seth. Astarte is located in its east and Uto in its north. The castle, which lies in the fact, that's how the two light mountains of the sky. Ramses II is in him. Than God, "Month in both countries " rapporteur, "Sun, the ruler " as vizier, who is friendly to Egypt " Beloved of Atum " as a prince and all the land descends to his residence. "

The end of Pi -Ramesses and the move to Tanis

Around 1110 BC, the city was abandoned at the end of the 20th Dynasty. This was probably due to the silting of the Pelusiac Nilarms. With the move to 30 km away Tanis, the transport of numerous monuments from Pi -Ramesses was connected, which meant that due to the numerous inscriptions initially Tanis was identified with the Ramesses City.

In the following years the town and her name came gradually into oblivion. Since the 21st Dynasty, the great buildings of the city were obvious as a quarry.

Today's remains and excavations

Due to the extensive destruction of the city in ancient times has hardly remained something today. Even in the 19th century remains of some of the tell were to be seen, which are now almost gone. Today only are available locally at the base of an originally about 10 m high seated statue of Ramses II and a large column base of granite. In the neighboring village of Samana is a fountain of Ramses II

Since the late 19th century, the ancient legacies of the area around Qantir were noted and investigated. Since the discovery of a large quantity of pottery tiles that correspond most closely to those of the temple-palace of Medinet Habu, Qantir was as a place of the Ramesside capital Pi -Ramesses in the conversation. Since the seminal article Labib Habachis from 1954, this view began to spread within the professional circles, until finally, the work of Manfred Bietak following in the 1970s, became the generally accepted doctrine. Thus Tanis was replaced, which had been often associated with Pi -Ramesses, particularly by the French archaeologist Pierre Montet, who had excavated at Tanis.

In Qantir since 1980 dig, the archaeologists of the Hildesheim Roemer- und Pelizaeus - Museum under the direction of Edgar Pusch in cooperation with the team of the Austrian Archaeological Institute, which, under the direction of Manfred Bietak in a few kilometers south of Tell el - Dab'a the ancient Avaris, the capital of the Hyksos, digs.

A particular achievement was the pioneering application of geomagnetic methods of investigation, incurred in the stunning images of the underground ruins.

641699
de