Ramesses IV was the third pharaoh of the XXe dynasty, succeeding Ramesses III. His reign, although short, was marked by ambitious projects and economic and political challenges. Archaeological finds associated with Ramses IV offer insight into this period of Egyptian history.
Ascension to the throne
Ramses IV, from his Egyptian name Heqamaatre, ascended the throne after the death of his father, Ramesses III. The start of his reign coincided with a period of economic turmoil and difficulty for Egypt, partly caused by the end of the Bronze Age.
The reign
The reign of Ramesses IV lasted about six years. Despite the challenges he faced, Ramesses IV was an ambitious pharaoh and undertook several major building projects. In particular, he launched expeditions to extract precious stones and ore, in particular copper and turquoise, in the Eastern Desert and the Sinai.
Ramesses IV also commissioned the construction of several temples and monuments, some of which are still visible today. Among these projects are the completion of the Temple ofHatshepsut à Deir el Bahari and the expansion of the temple of Karnak.
Archaeological discoveries
Several archaeological discoveries have been associated with the reign of Ramesses IV. His tomb (KV2), located in the Valley of the Kings, is one of the best preserved from this period. The tomb's inscriptions and wall decorations offer insight into the life and beliefs of the time.
Administrative papyri and ostraca, inscribed pottery fragments, have also been discovered and date to the reign of Ramesses IV. These documents reveal information about the country's administration, economic resources and construction projects, and provide insight into the challenges Ramses IV faced as pharaoh.
The end of the reign and the legacy
Ramses IV died after a relatively short reign and was buried in the Valley of the Kings, in tomb KV2. His successor, Ramses V, inherited a country struggling with economic and political problems, but also a tradition of major construction projects initiated by Ramses IV.
In summary, Ramses IV was an ambitious pharaoh whose reign was marked by economic and political challenges. Despite these challenges, he undertook several major construction and natural resource development projects. Archaeological finds associated with Ramesses IV provide valuable insight into this era of Egyptian history.
📋 LIST OF EGYPTIAN SOVEREIGNS 📋
Hotepsekhemwey / Sneferka / Nebra / ninetjer / Senedj / Noubnefer / Horus Ba / Peribsen / Sekhemib / Khasekhemwy / Neferkasokar / | |||
Djoser / Sanakht / Sekhemkhet / Spoon / Huni | |||
Sekhemre-Khutaouy Amenemhat-/Sobekhotep I/Sekhemkare Amenemhat-Senbef/Sekhemkare Amenemhat V/Ameny-Qemaou/Hotepibre Qémaou-Sa-Hornejhéritef/Ioufeni/Séânkhibrê Amény-Antef-Amenemhat (or Amenemhat VI)/Semenkarê Nebnoun/Sehotepibrê Sousekhtaouy | |||
Sekhaenre Yakbim/Nebuuserre Yaammou/Khauserre Qareh | |||
Semqen/Aper-Anat/Sakir-Har/Khyan/Apophis I/Apophis II?/Khamoudy | |||
/Sekhemre-Sementaouy Djehouty/Sekhemre-Sousertaouy Sobekhotep VIII | |||
Twenty-first dynasty | |||
Twenty-second dynasty | |||
Twenty-third dynasty | |||
Twenty-fourth dynasty | |||
1st Persian Dynasty | |||
Thirty-first dynasty (Achaemenid) | 2nd Persian Dynasty | ||