European passport rules can be a bit of a minefield, right? There’s the 10-year validity rule for adults, but you can’t travel if you’ve got less than six months left before expiry for some countries, and less than three months left before expiry for others. What about if you don’t have a passport at all, and have been deceased for over 3,000 years?! Well, rumour has it that back in the 1970s, Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Ramses II, had to be issued a passport in these very circumstances because he was flying to France.
Ramses II, also known as Ramesses II, was a 19th-Dynasty king who ruled over 3,000 years ago. His remains needed to receive a treatment to avoid further disintegration, and as such, they were flown to Paris from Egypt.
So, is this passport urban legend, or actual fact?
I’ll be honest: the jury’s still out. Some sources, such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not and USA Today, say it is true – though the passport image doing the rounds on social media is a mock-up, not the real one. However, other sources cite the whole thing as an urban legend, but state Ramses II’s remains were received ceremonially, as if he were a Head of State.
Can you see the passport, and other artefacts from this Ancient Egyptian ruler?
At this moment in time, the answer is no for the passport; but yes, for many other rare artefacts from Ramses II’s life, such as jewellery, the golden mask of King Amenemope, and the coffin of Ramses II himself. Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold, an exhibition located at NEON at Battersea Power Station, boasts the largest collection of Ramses II items to have ever left Egypt – over 180 authentic artefacts.
Ramses and the Pharaohs' Gold: The Exhibition - 4.51 · 8464 reviews
The exhibition, which has a unique stamp of approval from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Culture, is in the capital for a limited time this summer, before moving on in its world tour. British historian Dan Snow is the lead storyteller and narrator of the audio guide; listen to 3,000-year-old history as you browse colossal statues, ancient hieroglyphics, and even animal mummies, which serve as insight into the rituals and traditions of the time.
Bringing it all to the 21st century, the Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold exhibition also offers a VR experience: pop on your headset and take a seat in a 4D chair for a journey back in time. You’ll come face to face with whirling sandstorms, intricate temples, and even a recreation of Ramses’ mummy.
