South Exterior Wall

Ramesses II covered the southern exterior of the hypostyle with monumental relief scenes cut in sunk relief. These scenes parallel the battle reliefs of the king’s father, Sety I, inscribed on the hall’s north side.

The battle scenes originally carved onto the walls glorified the king’s military “triumph” against the Hittities at the battle of Qadesh, a battle most Egyptologists agree was at best a “draw” for the Egyptians. The text is known from a number of other sources, as Ramesses appears to have been particularly proud of his “victory.” Interestingly, Ramesses had his artists carve over these scenes before their completion. They were replaced with descriptions of fifteen years of military campaigns the pharaoh led in Syro-Palestine. These scenes spread out onto the west wall of the court of the seventh pylon.