Kadesh Inscriptions

The Kadesh inscriptions or Qadesh inscriptions are a variety of Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions describing the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC). The combined evidence in the form of texts and wall reliefs provide the best documented description of a battle in all of ancient history.

The Egyptian version of the battle of Kadesh is recorded in two primary accounts, known as the ''Bulletin'' or ''Report'' and the ''Poem'' which are often placed side by side in the locations they were inscribed. In addition, some reliefs also inscribed in the same location offer pictorial depictions of the battle. Some scholars divide these accounts into three. The ''Bulletin'' is repeated seven times and the ''Poem'' eight times, spread across temples in Abydos, Temple of Luxor, Karnak, Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum, and two hieratic papyri.: "Subsequently the campaign was told al length in two separate accounts which scholars have called the Bulletin (or the Record) and the Poem. The two accounts are supplemented by pictorial reliefs with explanatory captions. The whole composition offers a number of striking features. First the fact that there are two distinct though overlapping accounts. Second the fact that the two versions were not merely carved once on the walls of a temple but were repeated in multiple copies – the Bulletin seven times and the Poem eight times. They are inscribed on the walls of the temples of Abydos, Luxor, Karnak, Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum, and the Poem is also found on fragments of two hieratic papyri.

Poem

The ''Poem'' or "Poem of Pentaur" (pntAwr.t) is known from eight inscriptions, and lists the peoples which went to Kadesh as allies of the Hittites. Amongst them are some of the Sea Peoples and many of the other peoples who would later take part in battles of the 12th century BC (see Battle of Kadesh).

The ''Poem'' has been questioned as actual verse, as opposed to a prose account similar to what other pharaohs had recorded.

Bulletin

The ''Bulletin'' or the ''Record'' is itself simply a lengthy caption accompanying the reliefs.

Eight copies survive today on the temples at Abydos, Karnak, Luxor and Abu Simbel, with reliefs depicting the battle.

Other inscriptions

In addition to these lengthy presentations, there are also numerous small captions used to point out various elements of the battle.

Outside of the inscriptions, a hieratic copy of the ''Poem'' is preserved in the ''Raifet-Sallier papyrus'', of which the first page is lost, the second page ("Papyrus Raifet") is in the Louvre and the third page ("Papyrus Sallier III") is in the British Museum. However, this is "an inaccurate copy of the whole text".

Cuneiform references to the battle have been found at Hattusa, including a letter from Ramesses to Hattusili III written in response to a scoffing complaint by Hattusili about the pharaoh's victorious depiction of the battle.Kitchen, Kenneth A., ''Ramesside Inscriptions, Notes and Comments Volume II'' (1999) pp. 13ff. However, no annals have been discovered that might describe it as part of a campaign. Instead, there are various references made to it in the context of other events.

Copies

Poem

* Luxor Temple pylon, north side of both towers
* Karnak, outside the south wall of the Great Hypostyle Hall
* Abydos: Ramesses II temple

Bulletin

* Abu Simbel: Great Temple north wall of the first hall
* Ramesseum, west side of first pylon
* Luxor Temple pylon, south side

Reliefs

* Abydos: Ramesses II temple, outside walls
* Ramesseum, first pylon
* Ramesseum, second pylon
* Karnak
* Luxor Temple pylon:
* Temple of Derr
* Abu Simbel: Great Temple north wall of the first hall

Gallery

File:AbydosR2QadeshBattle-81.jpg,

File:LuxorTemplePylonBattleR2.jpg,
File:Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Egypt-3B-036.jpg,

File:Karnak Ägyptisch-Hethitischer Friedensvertrag 06.jpg,

File:Cyark Ramesseum first pylon 2.jpg,
File:RamesseumPM10.jpg,

File:Relief Kadesh Breasted.jpg,
File:Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Egypt-10C-021.jpg,
File:Ramses II at Kadesh.jpg,
File:Ägypten 1999 (134) Assuan- Im Großen Tempel von Abu Simbel (27595822585).jpg,

See also

* Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty
* Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb

References

Bibliography

*
*
* Gardiner, A.H. 1960
The Kadesh Inscriptions of Ramesses II
Oxford
*
*
* {{cite book, last=Lichtheim, first=Miriam, title=Ancient Egyptian Literature: The late period, chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nN2jfpSbk2kC&pg=PA57, year=1973, publisher=University of California Press, isbn=978-0-520-03615-4, pages=57–, chapter=The Kadesh Battle Inscriptions of Ramses II

External websites

13th-century BC inscriptions
Sea Peoples
Egyptian inscriptions
Ramesses II
Military history of ancient Egypt
Abu Simbel