Obelisk Tip of Ramesses II

Tanis, Egypt

Stones of Ramesses II are so common in Tanis that at one time the city was identified with the Ramesside capital Pi-Ramesses. However, it is now clear that Ramesses' stones were brought back from Pi-Ramesses and reused - a common practice in the delta.

The top of the obelisk displays cartouches of Ramesses. Its middle band displays offering scenes with the king, and its lower band idendifies Ramesses as "Horus" and "strong bull," both standard epithets for a pharaoh. It is a fine opportunity to be able to examine the tip of an obelisk at ground level like this.