Watch List notes:

Blue glazed steatite plaque. Egypt, New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty. Ramesses II, 1279-1213 BC. On one face, two cartouches, each topped with ma'at feather. On opposite face, text partially inscribed "royal scribe, keeper of the palace of Lord Horus" (12x7mm). A few miniscule chips, otherwise a well-preserved and highly attractive piece.

The most powerful and celebrated pharaoh of all, Ramesses ruled for an incredible 67 years (and lived for some 90!), during which he left an indelible mark on Egyptian history. He secured Egypt's borders and re-conquered lands lost to the Nubians and Hittites, with his campaigns against the latter culminating in the famous Battle of Kadesh (near the modern border of Syria and Lebanon). His military achievements are matched by the remarkable number of children he sired (some 50 sons and 40-50 daughters) and his ambitious architectural program. The many building projects he was responsible for – most notably the Ramesseum and temples at Abu Simbel – served as propaganda during his lifetime and as monuments to his illustrious reign after his death. 

Ramesses mummy was discovered in 1881 and is now kept in Cairo's Egyptian Museum.