Sculpture of Ramesses II

Pink granite sculpture of Ramesses II wearing false beard and a headdress with uraeus. The cartouche next to his face spells out his throne name: Usermaatra Setepenra (‘The justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Re’). The sculpture was broken up about 300 years later by King Osorkon II of Dynasty 22 (about 945 - 715 BC) to build a temple of his own to celebrate his heb-sed festival. The object was damaged in the fire that destroyed the museum in 1941 and the later decoration of Osorkon II is now not so clear as in the 1892 publication or the sketch made by Professor Peet on a draft catalogue card. It was given as a donation by the Egypt Exploration Fund, chosen by Miss Amelia Edwards on 15 March 1889 whilst she was staying in Liverpool overseeing the shipment of artefacts from Bubastis from Alexandria to Liverpool and then on to Boston. Along with many others it was exhibited in an open-air exhibition at Huskisson Dock, 14 March 1889. We have letters from Miss Edwards about her visit and a newspaper cutting "Arrival of Egyptian Antiquities in Liverpool" from the Liverpool Daily Post, 15 March 1889.