Ancient Egypt’s allure persists millennia after its decline, captivating millions with timeless stories and artifacts. King Tutankhamun’s treasures drew 20 million visitors across 22 cities worldwide, while Ramses II’s relics recently attracted 500,000 in Tokyo. Now, the Ramses and the Pharaohs Gold exhibition opens at London’s Battersea Power Station, showcasing 180 priceless items.
Sneak Preview of Extraordinary Artifacts
Ahead of the Saturday opening, historian Dan Snow, narrator of the official audio guide, provides an exclusive preview. “There is something magical about that original civilisation on the Nile surrounded by desert and sea, protected, they believed, by the Gods,” Snow marvels while examining ornately carved sarcophagi, dazzling jewelry, stone heads, sacred amulets, and animal mummies. “It is just this cradle of innovation and civilisation. Their inventions, their writing, their artistry. Look at these statues and you think you can actually see a personality.”
Snow highlights Ramses II’s enduring legacy. “Few people in the history of the world have outlasted time,” he observes. “But Ramses II surely has.” Many artifacts appear in the UK for the first time, loaned from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Ramses II: Warrior, Builder, and Legend-Maker
Ramses II reigned for a record 67 years, outlasting successors in antiquity and the Middle Ages. His heir assumed the throne at age 50. This longevity allowed him to craft an immortal image. Snow calls him a “master of creating his own image.”
Visitors encounter Ramses II’s head sculpture and his cartouche—an Egyptian signature—etched on numerous items, including pre-existing ones. He portrayed himself as a mighty warrior leading 100,000 men against invaders. “Ramses is called the great because he wanted to be remembered as the great,” Snow explains. “He got lucky—if you want to be great you need to rule for a long time. Also, he built a lot of buildings in that time and he made sure he carved his name onto all the other buildings in Egypt, so people thought he must have been great. He is a winner who wrote the history books.”
His collapsed statue at Thebes Temple inspired Shelley’s Ozymandias. The Abu Simbel temple honors his wife Nefertari, mother of seven sons who predeceased him.
Battle of Kadesh: Victory or Stalemate?
A dedicated section details the Battle of Kadesh, one of antiquity’s pivotal clashes. Ramses proclaimed victory, stating: “Behold! I am victorious, me alone.” Hittite records, however, indicate a draw. Undeterred, Ramses erected monuments depicting Hittites as locust-like swarms and even lion fights. He hosted festivals glorifying himself.
Masterpieces of Craftsmanship
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, praises Ramses’s cedarwood coffin as “a masterpiece.” “When you look at it you cannot look away,” he adds. It features the pharaoh’s funeral mask and hieroglyphs narrating his afterlife journey, appearing freshly crafted despite its ancient origins.
Sherif Fathy, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, encourages visitors: “Try and imagine you are sitting next to the creator of one of these artefacts. Imagine what they think, what they dream about, to create this innovation.” These artists crafted for eternity—and succeeded.
Snow notes Egypt’s accessibility for history enthusiasts: “As someone who makes TV shows about history I find it very easy working in Egypt. You can go into royal tombs like Seti’s, Tutankhamun’s, or Ramses. You do not have to ask the audience to imagine it because it’s right there.”
Touring revenues support Egypt’s relic preservation, ensuring future access. From Seti I and Tutankhamun to Ramses II, Egypt’s wealth, mystery, and stories continue to mesmerize.
