This 3,200-year-old recumbent statue of ancient Egypt's most influential pharaoh, Ramses II, lies in a museum at UNESCO World Heritage Site Memphis (the ancient capital of Lower Egypt, a half-hour drive from Cairo)  is of an intimidating size  - about 36 feet tall - and that’s without his legs. The remnants of Egyptian antiquity are often big -  overwhelming even - and powerful as well as being very old. And Ramses the Great - of all the pharaohs the longest reigning (67 years), most influential, and most prolific builders of temples - was on the throne for 67 years and had 55 wives and 115 children.

Read more in Tripatini member Fyllis Hockman's post In Egypt, in Awe - of 6,000 Years of History.