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Ring of Ramesses IV

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

All three of these rings probably belonged to nobility or other private persons, not to royalty, The small bronze signet ring has the prenomen, or throne name, of Ramesses II. The scarab ring lacks his prenomen but has an associated epithet ("Beloved Of Amun") and his nomen, or birth name (Ramesses).

On the large silver-tin alloy signet ring the prenomen of Ramesses IV appears—Hekama'at-re' ("Re Is the Ruler of Ma'at"). In the lower half are several hieroglyphs—djed("stability"), hes ("praise"), and hetep ("peace" or "satisfaction")—that probably serve a decorative or amuletic function because they do not comprise a logical text. Likewise, the semi-hemispherical nb hieroglyph at the bottom was probably employed simply because its shape conveniently fit the oval.

MEDIUM Silver
  • Reportedly From: Saqqara, Egypt
  • DATES ca. 1152–1145 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 20
    PERIOD New Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS Width: 7/8 in. (2.3 cm) Weight: 185.20 grains (12.001 grams)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 37.727E
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION One tin-silver alloy ring, cast in one piece, with lines of burnishing just over the edge of the bezel. The oval bezel may contain a cryptogram consisting of the name of Rameses IV, Hk3-m3’t-R’. Condition: Good; some indentations on the shank and the inside of the bezel is discolored; modern scratches within the sun disc of the ba-bird on the bezel.
    CAPTION Ring of Ramesses IV, ca. 1152–1145 B.C.E. Silver, Width: 7/8 in. (2.3 cm) . Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.727E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 37.727E_SL3.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 37.727E_SL3.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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