Valley of the Kings
- KV8 tomb of Merenptah - XIXthDynasty
Merenptah’s
tomb became model for royal tombs at the decline of dynasties XIX and
XX. It is featured by straight axe, concaved reliefs and less numerous,
compared to former hypogea, auxiliary chambers. Walls are decorated with
extracts from “the book of the underworld”, ceiling in the funerary
chamber carries astronomical symbols. The
king’s mummy was nestled within
four sarcophagi. Three of them were of pink granite and the most
internal one – of alabaster.
The third sarcophagus had been removed from the tomb during the XXIst
Dynasty for the burial of Psusennes I at Tanis.
At the end of dynasty XX the mummy
was moved to the tomb of Amenhotep II – KV35 and
discovered with other royal mummies in 1898 by Victor
Loret.
A -
entrance
(images of different aspects of the sun god
flanked by Isis and Nephtys)
B - first corridor
(image of king before Re-Horakhty and scenes
from the Litany of Re)
C - second corridor
(scenes from the Litany of Re)
D - third corridor (scenes
from Amduat) E - well shaft
(scenes from the Amduat and images of
various deities)
F - first pillared hall
(Osiris shrine, scenes from the Book of
Gates and images of the king before various deities)
G - side chamber (various
deities)
Ga - niche-like room
(dedicated to Ramesses II)
H, J - lower corridors
('opening of the mouth' ceremony)
I - repositioned anteroom, discarded sarcophagus lid against wall (scenes from the Book of the Dead)
K - burial chamber with sarcophagus (walls decorated with scenes from the
Book of Gates and Book of Caverns; astronomical ceiling painted on
vault) Ka, Kb, Kc, Kd - four side rooms
L, La, Lb, Lc - four rear rooms
