Talk about a good deal.
James Balme, an English archaeologist, stumbled upon a "garden stone" for sale on a charity website for about $19. But the stone is likely not a garden stone at all — Balme believes it is a 3,000-year-old personal seal, or cartouche, of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1213 B.C.E., Ancient Origins notes.
Experts are now analyzing the stone cartouche and its hieroglyphics to determine whether it was, indeed, Ramses' seal. One side of the seal is carved with the depiction of a seated man with a scarab beetle and an eagle, along with a sun disk. The other side bears writing in hieroglyphics.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ramses' original burial site was looted by grave robbers, according to Ancient Origins, so it's possible the seal has migrated far away from its original owner. His mummy is now displayed in Egypt's Cairo Museum.
-
Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women
-
Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
