Ramses III in Saudi Arabia

Some 3200 or so year old news: The Saudis have announced the first discovery of an Egyptian hieroglyphic inscription in the Kingdom. It was found at the oasis of Tayma, known to be on several key historical trade routes. Another, Saudi account, here.

It contains the cartouche (left) of the great New Kingdom Pharaoh Ramses III (1186-1155 BC or a bit later depending on disputes about chronology).

Ramses III is known as the Pharaoh ruling during the invasion of the so-called "Sea Peoples" (memorialized in the Temple of Karnak) at the time of the "catastrophe" that concluded the Bronze Age (also roughly the period of the Trojan War, if there was one). His temple at Medinat Habu is in ruins near the Valley of the Kings.

For those who appreciate historical context, a number of the Saudi and other news reports note the distance from the find to the great Saudi monumental site of Mada'in Salih, a Nabatean city. Very informative, though, of course, Mada'in Salih flourished about — um, let's see,— 1200 or so years after Ramses III. You know, kind of like the relation of Charlemagne to Microsoft.