A sword with the name of Pharoah Ramesses II in hieroglyphs recently was uncovered by archaeologists in Egypt. Ramesses is believed by many historians to be the Pharoah of Exodus.
The weapon was one of numerous artifacts from Tel Al-Abqain archeological site near the coast of northwest Egypt, “Popular Science” reports.
The bronze sword is inscribed with the name of King Ramesses II, who ruled Egypt circa 1279 to 1213 BC. Ramesses II had the second-longest reign in Egyptian history, marked by a major building boom and wars with the Hittites and a group of invaders called the Sea Peoples. The sword was unearthed near an area that could have been infiltrated by enemies. The team also found two inscribed limestone blocks. One block has a hieroglyphic inscription that mentions Ramesses II and the other has an inscription for an official named “Bay.”
Several religious or spiritual artifacts also were uncovered, including the remains of an intact cow. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, cows symbolized “strength, abundance and prosperity, as cows were revered as celestial deities,” in ancient Egypt.
READ: Archaeologists find city linked to Exodus story
The objects were discovered among the 3,200-year-old remains of a military barracks that served as a defense against the enemy invasion during the New Kingdom Era. It has several mudbrick architectural structures that housed soldiers, weapons and the food they needed to survive. According to Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of the Supreme Council for Archaeology, it was a key military base from 1550 to 1070 BC on the Western War Road. It was built as a fort to protect Egypt’s northwest border from attacks by Libyan tribes and Sea Peoples.
The Sea Peoples are held responsible for the destruction of the Hittite empire. However, because of a sudden break in recordkeeping as a result of these invasions, the exact extent and origin of their deeds remains unknown. Some principal evidence for the Sea People is based on Egyptian texts and illustrations, which are considered one sided. Other evidence comes from Hittite sources and archaeological data.
Given the very well-supplied nature of the barracks, the soldiers may have been successful in protecting the invasion. However, archeologists still are not certain why the complex was abandoned by the military with so many objects left behind.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice and Popular Science