his sarcophagus “may be striking in its simplicity”, describes the Egyptologist Chloé Ragazzoli

The sarcophagus of Ramses II “will perhaps strike by its simplicity”, described Wednesday April 5 on franceinfo Chloé Ragazzoli, lecturer at La Sorbonne and president of the French society of Egyptology. The exhibition “Ramesses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” takes place from April 7 to September 6, 2023 at the Grande Halle de la Villette, in Paris.

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franceinfo: What do we know about Ramses II?

Chloe Ragazzoli: He comes from a new family on the throne of Egypt, which is quite exceptional, and which comes from the Nile Delta. He reigned for 67 years. His longevity allowed him to leave an important work, in particular monumental. He also sprinkled the great Egyptian temples with the story of his great deeds, in particular his military campaigns, which may explain his important place in Egyptian, Greek and our memory. Of his life, we know what he wanted to show: quite open to foreign countries, with oriental influences.

The centerpiece of this exhibition is his sarcophagus, this is the first time he has left Egypt in almost 50 years, what does he look like?

It is a piece which will perhaps strike by its simplicity, since it is in cedar, very finely carved but which is bare. It was cleared in antiquity of gold, precious metals and precious stones. It bears a text, a label written in ink and by hand, which tells of the movement of this sarcophagus in Antiquity to protect it. It is not necessarily the original one, it is possible that a sarcophagus was reused when the mummy was put away, or that Ramses II himself used an ancient piece. .

“This sarcophagus already came to France in 1976, which was presented as a state visit since it came with a diplomatic passport, to be treated against fungi at the Musée de l’Homme.”

Chloé Ragazzoli, lecturer at La Sorbonne

on franceinfo

The mummy is not part of the trip, Egyptian law forbids it. Is she also too fragile?

She is extremely fragile because she is naked. She was largely unwrapped to study her but also at the time of the looting, because the strips housed many precious amulets. It is currently on display in a crypt at the Museum of Civilization in Cairo. We have in front of us a human remains which strikes by its fragility, we see the features of a very old man, with his red hair.

In Paris, 180 pieces are exhibited, which is your favourite?

As an Egyptologist, it was the matrix that made it possible to build shields. It comes from the capital and from the workshops of the arsenal, attached to the palace of Ramses II. I find this piece very evocative, not of the great story as the pharaoh wanted to tell it, but of practices. It is also a shield of oriental inspiration which shows well the exchanges of the time.