Original Historical Documents - Click on image for the next Scene

The Egyptian fleet of Ramses III destroying the fleet of the Pereset. The Peoples of the Sea are, at this stage, allies of the Pereset. The helmets of the Peoples of the Sea have horns but not the sun disk between the horns indicating they were under the command of the Greek general Iphicrates. Those serving under Chabrias had the disk between the horns. Soldiers with horned helmets and a sun disk are also carved into the scene of Ramses III on a lion hunt. The following line of hieroglyphic text presented in English and the original German translation was read by Walter Wreszinski over Ramses III list of subjected enemies as follows: "All Fnh-valleys ... the Sn-kbh-w-land, all mortals, all Egyptians, all Aegeans, all of mankind are under the feet of the good god. Every Egyptian pleads: May we have life, and both lands, every day for millions and millions, as his father Amon-re-sonter has commanded, for ever, for ever."

"Alle Fnh-Ebenen ..., das Sn-kbh-w ... Land, alle Sterblichen, alle Ägypter, alle Ägäer, die ganze Menschheit sind unter den Füßen diese Guten Gottes. Jeder Ägypter fleht: Mögen wir leben, und beide Länder, jeden Tage für Millionen von Millionen, wie sein Vater Amonrasonter geboten hat, ewiglich, ewiglich!" [Wreszinski, `Atlas zur Altägyptischen Kulturgeschichte', Ramses III] This inscription dates from the time after the wars of Ramses III against the Peoples of the Sea and their allies. Finding here a reference to the Aegeans should help us understand that we are in Greek times. From the north wall of the temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.

This small protruding point, if all of the ships are just representational, could hint of the Greek type triremes. The Egyptian artist(s) may have been unfamiliar with triremes or his artistic design or wall space made him choose to carve older style ships to represent this sea battle scene. The Egyptian war ships feature this type of lion head on their bow. It may have been just a decorative item, however, if the ships are just representational the interpretation of it may offer other choices.

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