| Ramesses VIII | |
|---|---|
| Also written Ramses and Rameses | |
![An ostracon depicting Prince Sethherkhepshef or the future Ramesses VIII in an adoration pose, with outstretched arms, and a scepter in his left hand.[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aOstracon_of_Prince_Sethherkhepshef_or_the_Future_king_Ramesses_VIII.jpg) An ostracon depicting Prince Sethherkhepshef or the future Ramesses VIII in an adoration pose, with outstretched arms, and a scepter in his left hand.[1] | |
| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 1130–1129 BC |
| Predecessor | Ramesses VII |
| Successor | Ramesses IX |
| Father | Ramesses III |
| Mother | Tiye |
| Died | 1129 BC |
| Dynasty | 20th Dynasty |
Usermaatre AkhenamunRamesses VIII (also writtenRamses andRameses) or Ramesses Sethherkhepshef Meryamun ('Set is his Strength, beloved of Amun')[2] (reigned 1130–1129 BC, or 1130 BC[3]), was the seventhPharaoh of theTwentieth Dynasty of theNew Kingdom of Egypt, and was the 9th of the 10 sons ofRamesses III.[4] Before ascending to the throne, he was simply known as Prince Sethherkhepsef II.
Ramesses VIII is the most obscure ruler of the 20th Dynasty, and the current information from his brief kingship suggests that he lasted on the throne for one year at the most.[5][6] The fact that he succeeded to power after the death of Ramesses VII —his half-nephew and a son of Ramesses VI—may indicate a continuing problem in the royal succession.[5] Similar toRamesses IV andRamesses VI, Ramesses VIII was also a son of pharaohRamesses III.
Ramesses VIII'sPrenomen, Usermaatre Akhenamun, means "Powerful is themaat ofRa, Effective forAmun."[7] Monuments from his reign are scarce, and consist primarily of an inscription atMedinet Habu, a mention of this ruler in one document — Berlinstele 2081 of Hori at Abydos — and one scarab. His only known date is a Year 1, I Peret day 2 graffito in the tomb of Kyenebu (Theban Tomb 113) at Thebes.[8] According to Erik Hornung in a 2006 book,[9] the accession date of Ramesses VIII has been established by Amin Amer in a 1981 article to date to an eight-month interval between I Peret day 2 and ISeason of the Inundation day 13.[10]
The tomb inscription notes that it took 3½ months, from Year 1, I Akhet day 13 of Ramesses VIII, to start work and paint scenes on a tomb chapel in Kyenebu's tomb, and up until Year 1, I Peret day 2 to complete the work.[11] Since no year change occurs in this time interval, the accession date for Ramesses VIII must fall outside this period of this text, "i.e., within I Peret 3 to I Akhet 12."[12]
He is the sole pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty whose tomb has not been definitely identified in theValley of the Kings, though some scholars have suggested that the tomb of PrinceMentuherkhepshef,KV19, the son ofRamesses IX, was originally started for Ramesses VIII but proved unsuitable when he became a king in his own right. An all-Egyptian team of researchers headed by Afifi Rohiem under the supervision of Dr.Zahi Hawass were looking for the pharaoh's tomb.[13] Work on the tomb of Ramesses VIII might have started before he ascended the throne, when he was known as prince Sethherkhepshef, as suggested by anostracon discovered in theValley of the Queens.
Before he became Pharaoh, the tomb QV43 in the Valley of the Queens was constructed for him, however, the tomb was never used.[14][15]
| Preceded by | Pharaoh of Egypt Twentieth Dynasty | Succeeded by |
