He is shown as 16th on the processions of princes, and is likely to have been the last child born to Ramesses and Nefertari (after
Amun-her-khepeshef,
Pareherwenemef,
Meritamen,
Henuttawy and
Meryre).[1] He is depicted in the Smaller
Abu Simbel temple, dedicated to Nefertari. Inscriptions at
Karnak and elsewhere show Nefertari was his mother.[2]
He visited
Sinai in the second decade of his father's reign, and later in that decade was appointed as High Priest of
Ra in
Heliopolis, a position he held for the next twenty years.
Two of his statues are now in
Berlin and a
stela belonging to him is in
Hildesheim. An
ostrakon mentions work on his tomb and that of
Isetnofret; it implies he was buried in the area of the
Valley of the Queens, though it is also possible he was buried in
KV5, the tomb built for the sons of Ramesses, since a fragment of one of his
canopic jars was found there.
Inscription at
Serabit el-Khadim depicting Prince Meryatum with the Troop-commander and Royal Cupbearer Ashahebsed and Troop-commander Amenemope.
Façade of the
Small Temple at Abu Simbel; two of the colossal statues of the King are flanked by small statues of the King’s Son Meryatum and the King’s Son Meryre (the other two are flanked by
Amun-her-khepeshef and
Prehirwenemef)
Inscription at the
Temple of Mut at
Karnak; The inscription names Meryatum and Queen
Nefertari: Text made by the King’s Son Ramesses-Meryatum, born of Queen Nefertari-Meryetmut, may she live forever! (Kitchen)
Statue of Queen Nefertari with a depiction of Prince Meryatum at the left side (Brussels E.2459)
Stela of Subordinate Akhpet from Qantir (
Pelizaeus-Museum) mentions the King’s Son, Chief of Seers, pure of hands in the House of Re, Mery-Atum,
justified.
A statue with Standards (Berlin 19716) mentions on the Dorsal Pillar: Hereditary Prince and Count, Chief of Secrets in the Mansion of the
Bennu bird, bodily King’s son, beloved of him, Chief of Seers, Mery-Atum. (Kitchen [2])
The dorsal pillar of a statue in Berlin (Berlin 7347). On the left side the inscription reads: "[…in] the Great Mansion, Setem priest in the Horizon of Eternity, Eyes of the King at the head of his
Two Lands, with the utterance of whose mouth people are pleased; King’s Son, Chief of Seers, pure of hands in the house of Re, Meryatum, renewed in life, born of the Great Royal Wife, Lady of Both Lands, Nefertari Meryetmut." (Kitchen [2]) And on the right side it reads: "[…Chariot]eer of his father the Victorious King, Horus-Falcon, Beloved of
Maat; King’s Son, Chief of Seers, pure of hands in the house of Re, Meryatum, born of the Great Royal Wife, Lady of
Both Lands, Nefertari Meryetmut." (Kitchen) While the main text says: "Hereditary Prince, Royal princeling, Judge(?) of the people, born of the Great Royal Wife, Chief of Seers, pure of hands in the house of Re, Meryatum." (Kitchen [2])
An
ostracon in Cairo (JdE 72460) mentions “work-in-progress of the Chief of Seers, Meryatum”. Probably refers to work on the tomb of Meryatum (i.e. KV5)