. . . . Born the thirteenth son of Ramesses the Great and Isis-Nofret. Merenptah assumed the throne of Egypt after his fathers death. He was between 50 and 60 years old and was one of the last pharaohs of the Ramessid family and of the 19th Dynasty. He tried to maintain the peace that his father had established in the kingdom. But during his ten year rule he was forced to carry out many military campaigns including battles with the invading Libyans and an uprising from the Nubians. In the fifth year of his reign a stela was carved to commemorate his victory over the Libyans. It is called the "Israel Stela" because it is one of the only known Egyptian record that mentions the Hebrews.
. . . . His mummy is that of a balding and overweight old man with bad teeth and gum disease. Studies of his mummy show that he also suffered from arthritis and arteriosclerosis. The family resemblance to his father and grandfather is striking.
. . . . Although the tomb of Merenptah has been know since antiquity, we know it was open to Greek and Romans who left behind graffiti. It was filled with flood debris until it was excavated by Howard Carter in 1903, it yielded very few artifacts of interest, mostly peices of funerary furniture. However the tomb is important as it marks a turning point in tomb design. It departs from the design of the typical 19th dynasty tombs in that it is built along a straight corridor, with taller ceilings and fewer side chambers. A design that we find in 20th Dynasty tombs.
