| “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-user-ma-sotep-en-Ra.” |
Oval (aten) Ra. The oval is the solar disk, the usual symbol of the supreme solar deity called Ra.
Anubis Staff (user) abounding in. This symbol was equal to Latin dives, rich, abounding in. The user, or Anubis staff, was a rod with a jackal-head on the top. The jackal was the emblem of Anubis, son of Osiris, and brother of Thoth. The god Anubis was the friend and guardian of pure souls. He is therefore frequently depicted by the bed of the dying. After death Anubis was director of funeral rites, and presided over the embalmers of the dead. He was also the conductor of souls to the regions of Amenti, and in the hall of judgment presides over the scales of justice.
Female Figure (ma) Ma or Thmei, the goddess of truth. She is generally represented in a sitting posture, holding in her hand the ankh, the key of life, an emblem of immortality.
Disk (aten) Ra, the supreme solar deity.
Drill or Auger (sotep) approved. Sotep means to judge, to approve of. Here it simply means approved.
Zigzag (en) of.
The prenomen, or divine name of Rameses, means “The supreme solar god, abounding in truth, approved of Ra.” Thus in his divine nature Rameses claims to be a descendant of Ra, and of the same nature with the god. This prenomen is repeated twice in each column of hieroglyphs, and as there are eight lateral columns cut by Rameses, it follows that this divine name occurs sixteen times on the obelisk.
| “Lord of kingly and queenly royalty, guardian of Egypt, chastiser of foreign lands.” |