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shows the way this area is used and perceived by
those inhabiting it. Written texts are therefore not
merely sources of information, but become a part
of the material culture within the landscape. This
creates a reciprocal relationship between the two:
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the landscape, but the location of the text within the
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LLS can be used to gain a better understanding of
this relationship.
To be able to fully use LLS, however, it
is necessary to understand the nature of language.
Language is fundamentally communicative, and
written texts are equally so. The function of the texts
can therefore be determined by looking at several
factors: the transmitter(s), the message, the way it is
communicated, and the (possible) receiver(s) ¹. For
LLS, these can be converted into four questions:
“who wrote or commissioned the text?”, “what does
the text say?”, “how was the text portrayed?”, and
“who could read the text?”.
Most LLS have focused on modern rather
than ancient societies (Pavlenko 2010, 133). This
paper will attempt to use its framework in a historical setting, namely on the Kadesh Inscriptions of
Ramesses II.
the army of Ramesses is moving towards Kadesh.
It is then ambushed and Ramesses is surrounded by
Hittite forces. A description of the events of the battle, especially the exploits of Ramesses, follows. He
calls upon Amun in an extensive prayer to help him,
which comes and helps secure victory. The remainder of the army praises Ramesses for his great deeds
but he chastises them for failing him.
The Bulletin primarily describes the events
before the battle, where two local Bedouins tell
Ramesses the Hittites are far away. The Egyptians
immediately move to Kadesh, but as soon as they
arrive, two captured scouts reveal that Ramesses has
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the battle and the fact that Ramesses is victorious
with the help of the gods. It is written in a factual
style.
The reliefs depict different episodes from
WKHEDWWOHDQGDUHÀOOHGZLWKVPDOOHUFDSWLRQVGHVcribing the scenes. The Bulletin is often incorporated into the reliefs, while the Poem is always found
separated from the reliefs.
Earlier interpretations
Previous studies of the Kadesh Inscriptions have
had little focus on their purpose, and instead concentrated on their historical-, linguistic- and literary
relevance. These studies usually offer one of the folORZLQJWZRVXJJHVWHGIXQFWLRQV WKHÀUVWVWDWHVWKDW
The Kadesh Inscriptions
“The Kadesh Inscriptions” refers to a series of texts the texts are propaganda, used by Ramesses to show
and reliefs placed on the walls of several temples his military exploits and to portray him as the hero
during Ramesses II’s reign. They depict and descri- who saves Egypt (this interpretation is mentioned by
be the battle of Kadesh (located in modern-day Sy- Eyre (1996, 416), Goedicke (1985), Kitchen (1999,
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