Ramesses-Meryamun-Nebweben
Encyclopedia
Ramesses-Meryamun-Nebweben was an Ancient Egypt
ian prince, a son of Pharaoh
Ramesses II
.
Since he is not shown or mentioned anywhere among the children of Ramesses, he is likely to have been one of the youngest of Ramesses' sons. He is known to us only from the inscriptions of his coffins. The identity of his mother is unknown. He spent his life in the Mer-wer harem, and was buried nearby after his death in his 30s.
His body was found, and it is apparent that he had a deformed spine and was hunchbacked. It is likely that because of his deformity it was difficult to find an adequate coffin for him. He was buried in an unused outer coffin of his great-grandfather, which Ramesses I
had had made when he was still a vizier. Although the inner coffin was also altered for Ramesses-Meryamun-Nebweben's burial, and the inscriptions were changed to his name instead of that of his great-grandfather, only the outer coffin was used, and the inner one was found by archeologists in a pit in Medinet Habu
.
Unlike several of his brothers, whose name also includes the name Ramesses, in his name "Ramesses Meryamun" was enclosed in a cartouche
, making it explicit that it is not used in its literal meaning ("Born of Rê
, Beloved of Amun
") but refers to the pharaoh. Nebweben means "lord of sunshine", the meaning of the prince's name is thus "Pharaoh Ramesses is the Lord of Sunshine". Such names, glorifying the pharaoh, are often found as names taken by high officials, but are relatively rare as given names within the royal family during the New Kingdom
.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian prince, a son of Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
.
Since he is not shown or mentioned anywhere among the children of Ramesses, he is likely to have been one of the youngest of Ramesses' sons. He is known to us only from the inscriptions of his coffins. The identity of his mother is unknown. He spent his life in the Mer-wer harem, and was buried nearby after his death in his 30s.
His body was found, and it is apparent that he had a deformed spine and was hunchbacked. It is likely that because of his deformity it was difficult to find an adequate coffin for him. He was buried in an unused outer coffin of his great-grandfather, which Ramesses I
Ramesses I
Menpehtyre Ramesses I was the founding Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 19th dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the time-line of late 1292-1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295-1294 BC...
had had made when he was still a vizier. Although the inner coffin was also altered for Ramesses-Meryamun-Nebweben's burial, and the inscriptions were changed to his name instead of that of his great-grandfather, only the outer coffin was used, and the inner one was found by archeologists in a pit in Medinet Habu
Medinet Habu (temple)
Medinet Habu is the name commonly given to the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III, an important New Kingdom period structure in the location of the same name on the West Bank of Luxor in Egypt...
.
Unlike several of his brothers, whose name also includes the name Ramesses, in his name "Ramesses Meryamun" was enclosed in a cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
, making it explicit that it is not used in its literal meaning ("Born of Rê
Re
Re, bre, moré is an interjection common to Cypriot Greek, the languages of the Balkans, Turkish, and Venetian, with its "locus... more in the Greek world than elsewhere". It is used in colloquial speech to gain someone's attention, add emphasis, insult, or express surprise or astonishment, like...
, Beloved of Amun
Amun
Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
") but refers to the pharaoh. Nebweben means "lord of sunshine", the meaning of the prince's name is thus "Pharaoh Ramesses is the Lord of Sunshine". Such names, glorifying the pharaoh, are often found as names taken by high officials, but are relatively rare as given names within the royal family during the New Kingdom
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt....
.