The Second Court, which is similar in layout and to some extent in decoration to the second court of the Ramesseum, but is better preserved, is 125ft/38m long by 138ft/42m wide. It is surrounded on all four sides by colonnades. Those on the north and south sides have columns with closed capitals; the one on the east side has pillars with Osiris figures; and the one on the west side, forming a raised terrace, has eight Osiris pillars in front and eight columns to the rear. On both the columns and the pillars the King is depicted making offerings to various gods. In Christian times the court was converted into a church, but most of the remains of this have been removed. On the walls of the colonnades are reliefs depicting events in
Ramesses's life, in particular great festivals and military exploits.
North Colonnade and adjoining part of East Colonnade, rear wall, above: the festival of the harvest god Min, which was celebrated as a coronation festival. 1: the King being borne out of the palace on a richly decorated litter under a canopy which is carried by Princes (names missing); he is followed by courtiers and preceded by priests bearing censers, a lector priest and soldiers, each wearing two feathers on their heads (note in the upper row trumpeters and drummers, in the lower row men with castanets). 2: the King making offerings and burning incense before the image of Min. 3 (continued on east wall): the festival procession; the image of Min is carried on a litter by priests, flanked by fan-bearers and followed by priests carrying shrines; in front is the King, who is preceded by a white bull (the god's sacred animal), the Queen and a long train of priests carrying standards, temple utensils and images of the King and his predecessors; on the right, the King awaiting the procession, with two emblems in front of him; priests release four carrier pigeons. 4: the King cuts with a sickle the sheaf presented to him by a priest (as in the Ramesseum); the lector priest recites a hymn to Min, while another priest presents the sheaf to the god; the Queen, above, looks on; the white bull in front of the King, below it a series of images of the royal ancestors. 5: the King offers incense to Min, standing under a canopy.
The lower rows are of less interest. 1: the King making offerings to the sacred barques of Khons, Mut and Amun. 2: the barques are borne out of the temple by priests, while the King, behind a fourth barque, advances to meet them.
South end of East Colonnade and South Colonnade, above: scenes from the festival of Ptah-Sokar. 6: procession of priests carrying sacred barques, images of gods, standards and temple utensils; behind them the King and dignitaries. 7 (on south wall): the sacred emblem of the god Nefertum (son of Ptah) borne by 18 priests. 8: the King holding a cord which is pulled by 16 high dignitaries; in front of the King two priests burning incense. 9: the barque of Sokar carried by 16 priests, followed by the King. 10: the King making offerings to the sacred barque of Sokar; the King before the ram headed Khnum and two other gods and before the falcon headed Sokar-Osiris, to whom he presents a platter with bread. Below are military scenes. 6 (right to left): the King and other charioteers dashing against the Libyans and slaying them with his arrows; foot soldiers fighting in wild confusion; the King returning from the battle in his chariot, with three rows of fettered Libyan captives in front of him and two fan bearers behind him; the King presenting the Libyan prisoners to Amun and Mut. 7 (on south wall): the King seated in his chariot, with his back to the horses, receiving Libyan prisoners (with light red skin) brought in by the Princes and other dignitaries in four rows; the severed hands and phalluses of the slain being counted. Most of the wall is occupied by a 75-line inscription celebrating the victorious war.
The rear wall of the West Colonnade, on the terrace, has three rows of reliefs: in the two upper rows, Ramesses lll in the presence of various deities; bottom row, Princes and Princesses (as in the corresponding position in the Ramesseum; names added later by Ramesses VI).
Hobbies & Activities category: Archeological site or ruin; Ancient Egyptian art, artifacts
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