Late Dynasty 18 (1316? B.C.E.–1279 B.C.E.)

King
Patron of Architecture

Personal Life.

Sety I was the second king of Dynasty 19. He ruled from 1290 B.C.E. to 1279 B.C.E. His father was Ramesses I, the founder of the dynasty. His son was Ramesses II, who was even more famous than his father as a builder. Sety's reign is important to the history of Egyptian architecture, however, because the model of the Heliopolis temple gateway that he commissioned is the only surviving architectural model from ancient Egypt.

Description of the Model.

The model is a large rectangular block of reddish-brown quartzite. The dimensions of the base are 28 by 87.5 by 112 centimeters (11 by 34 by 44 inches). The top of the base is cut back to create a platform for the temple. Ten steps lead up to the platform. The top of the model was carved with ten...