The royal Ramesside epithet "Victorious Lion, Lord of the Strength" and a statue of Ramesses VI: another case of "monumental cryptography" ?

Abstract

"The victorious lion, lord of the strength" (mȝj nḫt nb ḫpš) is a common epithet of the king in the Ramesside Period, emphasizing the military function of the Pharaoh, triumphing over Egypt's foes and maintaining Maat's rules. This epithet is part of various royal eulogies during the Ramesside Period, sometimes abbreviated as "lion, lord of strength" (mȝj nb ḫpš), even on several small artifacts such as a spearhead. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a statue depicting Ramses VI, now kept in the Luxor Egyptian Museum, which shows the king subduing an enemy, accompagnied at his left side by a standing lion, and holding a weapon in his right hand. The King is protected by the god Horus depicted as a falcon above his head. The whole statue can be read as a monumental and 3D version of the royal epithet, and can be related of course with other "monumental cryptography" cases dating back to the Ramesside Period, as the well known statue of Ramesses II protected by the god Hurun. ; Peer reviewed