Naos of King Ramesses II

This grand Naos—a sacred shrine carved from a single block of sandstone—was discovered along the processional route to the Great Temple of Amun in Tanis, a major city in Egypt’s Delta region. The shrine dates back to the reign of Ramesses II (1279–1213 BCE), one of the most powerful pharaohs of the New Kingdom’s 19th Dynasty. A naos served as the divine chamber of a temple, housing cult statues of deities and preserving offerings and prayers. In this case, the naos was not only dedicated to the gods, but it also visually portrayed Ramesses II himself presenting offerings to the gods—emphasizing the king’s role as intermediary between the divine and human worlds. Carved on the outer surfaces are depictions of Ramesses in a traditional standing pose, offering to deities including Atum, Amun, and Ptah. Notably, one scene shows the king in the form of Horus in the Horizon (Horus in the Akhet)—a divine form symbolizing kingship and rebirth. The seated figures of deities inside the naos further reinforce the sacred intimacy of this space. What’s especially fascinating is how Ramesses II sometimes represented himself as a god, which reflected the theological evolution of the time. Pharaohs were increasingly seen not only as divine rulers but also as objects of worship, particularly in their cult temples. Ramesses II—whose long reign and extensive building projects made him nearly legendary—embraced this role fully. This naos, discovered in Tanis, also hints at the shifting political and religious centers of ancient Egypt. During later periods, monuments and sacred structures from Per-Ramesses were moved to Tanis, preserving and repurposing the legacy of Egypt’s golden age of temple building.