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Lost Worlds: Ramses' Egyptian Empire - Full Episode (S1, E4) | History

HISTORY・27 minutes read

Ramses II, the ambitious Egyptian pharaoh, led monumental construction projects like the hypostyle hall at Karnak with innovative engineering techniques, showcasing his vision and power. Through meticulous planning and skilled craftsmanship, Ramses II left behind a legacy of grand temples, statues, and tombs, highlighting his reign as a period of ambitious building projects in ancient Egypt.

Insights

  • Ramses II, a powerful pharaoh of ancient Egypt, oversaw ambitious engineering projects, notably the construction of the grand hypostyle hall at Karnak, showcasing innovative methods like mud brick ramps and meticulous stone carving techniques.
  • The temple projects undertaken by Ramses II, including the creation of colossal statues and obelisks, not only demonstrated his grand vision and political aspirations but also required immense resources, skilled labor, and intricate planning, reflecting the magnitude of his reign and the Egyptian civilization's capabilities.

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Recent questions

  • How did Ramses II demonstrate his power?

    Through ambitious construction projects.

  • What tools were used in ancient Egyptian construction?

    Soft copper and flint tools.

  • How were obelisks transported in ancient Egypt?

    By floating down the Nile on barges.

  • What was the significance of the Valley of the Kings?

    Royal burial ground for 500 years.

  • How were the walls of temples decorated in ancient Egypt?

    With raw pigments mixed with vegetable oil.

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Summary

00:00

Ramses II: Master Builder of Egypt

  • The mighty Egyptian civilization is at its peak in 1300 B.C., led by Ramses II, aiming to be the greatest pharaoh by constructing vast statues, obelisks, and temples.
  • Ramses dominates the kingdom for 67 years, expanding in all directions, building a new capital city, and creating unprecedented job opportunities.
  • Through new research and advanced graphics technology, the true extent of Ramses' ambitious building projects is now fully revealed, showcasing extraordinary engineering feats with basic tools.
  • Ramses, heir to the Egyptian throne, is part of a dynasty that solidifies its power through construction, particularly at the Karnak temple complex in Thebes.
  • Karnak, dedicated to the god Amun-Re, is where pharaohs demonstrate their power and piety by adding structures to worship the god.
  • Ramses' father initiates the construction of a grand hypostyle hall at Karnak, with Ramses, even as a young man, playing a significant role in the building process.
  • The hypostyle hall, with 134 columns and pillars seven stories high, was constructed using innovative methods like mud brick ramps to raise the massive stones.
  • The use of ramps, with a slope of around 7 degrees and as long as two football fields, facilitated the movement of 25,000 tons of stone for the columns.
  • Ramses oversaw the meticulous construction process, ensuring tight locking of stones using wooden pieces and overseeing the smoothing of the columns after erection.
  • Ramses' reign as pharaoh marked the beginning of an era of ambitious engineering projects, with the hypostyle hall at Karnak being just the start of his monumental achievements in construction.

11:55

"Temple Construction in Ancient Egypt"

  • Kent Weeks researched historical records to ensure accuracy in temple plans and designs.
  • Hundreds of masons worked on columns up to 70 feet in the air, with work continuing after their erection to cover surfaces with hieroglyphs.
  • Ancient Egyptians used scaffolding in their engineering work, as depicted in tomb paintings from the 18th Dynasty.
  • Stone surfaces were meticulously carved and shaped by hand using tools made from soft copper.
  • Denys Stocks recreated ancient builders' work with their tools, showcasing the use of stone age technology like flint tools for intricate detailing.
  • Hieroglyphs on columns and walls conveyed political and religious messages, with each detail carefully crafted by hand.
  • The temple's walls described the relationship between gods, Ramses, and the people of Egypt, emphasizing Ramses' divine authority.
  • The temple's interior was once vividly painted with raw pigments mixed with vegetable oil and natural glue, using a limited color palette.
  • Thousands of man-hours and vast expenses were invested in building and adorning the temple, accessible only to a privileged elite.
  • The construction of Ramses' great hypostyle hall required 7,000 tons of sandstone sourced from the Silsila quarries, transported by a fleet of barges during the Nile flood.

22:53

Ramses' Grand Vision: Building Ancient Egypt's Legacy

  • Ramses competed with previous pharaohs by building bigger structures, like adding to the Luxor Temple.
  • His vision included 40-foot tall statues and even taller obelisks made of red granite.
  • Ramses' engineers successfully completed the daunting task of creating the obelisks.
  • The red granite for the obelisks was sourced 100 miles south in Aswan.
  • A half-finished obelisk in Aswan provides clues on the construction process.
  • Removing an 800-ton stone required basic tools and precision work.
  • Geometry and symmetry were crucial in creating the obelisks.
  • The obelisks were floated down the Nile on a specially built barge and then hauled into position in Luxor.
  • Ramses' building projects, like the Ramasseum and Abu Simbel, showcased his grand vision and political ambitions.
  • Abu Simbel, carved from rock, was a unique temple that demonstrated Ramses' power and ambition.

35:34

Ramses II's Tomb: Ancient Egyptian Mausoleum

  • The West Bank is known as the City of the Dead, contrasting with the City of the Living on the East Bank.
  • The Valley of the Kings served as a royal burial ground for 500 years during the time of Ramses II.
  • Ramses II's tomb, inspired by previous burials, was a family mausoleum with over 125 chambers, unique in size and function.
  • Workers left behind notes and doodles in the underground chambers, shedding light on ancient Egyptian life.
  • Builders worked a ten-day week with two days off during Ramses II's reign, using lamps to time their shifts.
  • Ramses II's tomb was meticulously planned, with tunnels needing completion before decoration could begin.
  • Builders incorporated existing tombs into Ramses II's tomb design, connecting impressive tunnel systems by accident.
  • The tomb's collapse over 3,200 years erased its decoration, but studying it reveals religious symbols and a multi-layered stone casket.
  • The process of cutting and shaping the stone casket involved copper-bladed saws and drilling holes to hollow it out, completed before Ramses II's death in his 90s.
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