The Pillar of Merneptah, the fourth king of the 19th Dynasty and the son of King Ramses II, who ruled Egypt for nearly 10 years from 1213 BC until 1203 BC, arrived safely on Saturday to its permanent display area at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Supervisor-General of the GEM Tarek Tawfik said in a statement for the Antiquities Ministry that the pillar was discovered in 1970 inside Merneptah temple, at the Matariya archaeological site, east of the Arab Al-Hesn area. The pillar was then kept in the citadel for ten years until it was chosen to be among the GEM exhibition. It is to be put on show at the atrium at the GEM main entrance gate, neighboring the colossus of King Merneptah’s father king Ramses II. Osama Abulkheir, Director General of the Restoration Department at the GEM said that upon its arrival the pillar would be examined, analysed archaeologically, and would be completely restored.

Source: Egypt Independent March 12, 2018 11:03 UTC