Ancient Propaganda on Paris Obelisk Glorifies Ramesses II, Possible Exodus Pharaoh

In a striking discovery at Paris' Place de la Concorde, an ancient obelisk reveals coded messages lauding Ramesses II, the Egyptian pharaoh often linked to the biblical Exodus. Egyptologist Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, who climbed the 3,300-year-old monument in 2021, uncovered seven cryptic hieroglyphs that served as propaganda to cement Ramesses' divine authority. These inscriptions, legible to Egypt’s elite, were a strategic move by Ramesses, born in 1303 B.C., to counter doubts about his legitimacy, as he wasn’t born of divine lineage.

Ramesses II, a towering figure of Egypt’s New Kingdom, faced skepticism from nobles who could read these codes. To bolster his claim, he renamed himself Usermaatra Setepenra, meaning chosen of Ra, and paid homage at sacred shrines with his wife Nefertari. The obelisk’s inscriptions, particularly on the side facing the Seine—symbolizing the Nile—depict him wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, reinforcing his divine kingship. Olette-Pelletier notes these texts also credit Ramesses with controlling the Nile’s floods, tying his rule to Egypt’s prosperity.

This find adds to recent discoveries, like a sword from Ramesses’ military unearthed in Housh Eissa and ongoing restoration of his Luxor temple, the Ramesseum. The obelisk’s hidden messages highlight a pharaoh’s cunning effort to thwart a potential coup and secure his legacy.