Maat, goddess of truth and personification of the concept maat, opens her wings to embrace and protect the cartouche of the 19th Dynasty queen Nefertari. On her head Maat wears the feather of truth. Tomb of Nefertari. Valley of the Queens.
Showing posts with label Maat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maat. Show all posts
Pictures: Maat at the Tomb of Nefertari. Valley of the Queens.
Maat, goddess of truth and personification of the concept maat, opens her wings to embrace and protect the cartouche of the 19th Dynasty queen Nefertari. On her head Maat wears the feather of truth. Tomb of Nefertari. Valley of the Queens.
Tomb of Ramose Plan - Tombs of the Nobles - Luxor, Egypt. Part III
This tomb belongs to the vizier in the reigns of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten). It comprises a main hall with thirty-two rather squat papyrus columns (1), an inner hall (2) containing eight clustered columns of smaller dimension (all destroyed) and the shrine (3).
Ramose was one of the earliest converts to the sun-worship and his tomb is therefore of historical significance as one of the few standing monuments in Thebes of the period between the two faiths. It is moreover of artistic significance since it gives a unique opportunity to see conventional relief representations alongside the new realism which has become known as the Amarna period.
Before we describe the tomb of Ramose a word should be said about Akhenaten's sun-worship and the art it heralded. The movement was not the isolated act of a rebellious Pharaoh who established a new capital in Tel el Amarna with a set of original ideas and a new outlook. The sun-worship of Akhenaten was introduced in Thebes over a number of years. The formation of a new capital, rendering Amon no more than a local deity, was really only the final step in a continuing process.
Light is still being shed on the transition period from one worship to another. There is considerable evidence to support the theory that Amenhotep III and his son (Akhenaten) shared a co-regency for many years at Thebes, and that, while the father was too disabled by ill-health and his son too young for the responsibility, Queen Tiy laid the foundations for the new thought that her son (Akhenaten) was to bring to fruition. Among the first steps taken were the 'enlightenment' of certain Theban noblemen to the 'truth of monotheism', and a breakaway from the traditional forms of art. The tomb of Ramose dates from this period. It was started in the traditional style, continued in the new and left unfinished when Ramose followed his master to Tel el Amarna.On both the left and right eastern walls of the main chamber, the murals are in unpainted, stylized relief. This was the conventional mural form typical of Amenhotep III's last years when his son (Akhenaten) may have been co-regent. On the southern half (a) Ramose the deceased vizier sits with his relatives. The men and women of his household are depicted in the traditional manner with regular faces, clothes and elaborate wigs, the details of which were carried out with faultless precision; the only paintwork is on the eyes. On the northern wall (b) are scenes of worship, offerings and religious ceremonies. The representation that most fully shows the stylized, unemotional, traditional treatment of the mural is that on the left-hand rear wall (c) by the central doorway. It is a portrayal of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), as he was then still called, seated below a canopy with Maat. Ramose himself is twice represented before the throne. This scene probably dates from the period of the building of the first temple to the sun at Thebes, a time when Amon was not yet openly challenged but the worship of Aton (or Aten) was nevertheless taking root.
However on the right-hand rear wall (d) we see a quite new mood. Now the young Pharaoh, who changed his name to Akhenaten only after he setup the new capital, stands with his royal consort Nefretiti (Nefertiti) on a.balcony, while Ramose, depicted in Amarna style and attitude, is being decorated with chams. Though it is still in relief, one can easily recognize the new realism, especially in the portrayal of the Pharaoh and his wife. Compared with the divine incarnation of Amon at (c), here at (d) we see the Pharaoh with belly extended in unflattering truth. Above is the life-giving sun with fourteen rays. Four of them hold symbols of life and happiness. Two support his outstretched arm. Another offers the symbol of life to the nostrils of the queen. Behind is the royal bodyguard. This mural probably dates from the period just before the departure from Thebes and already the thick loins of the Amarna period are apparent, though some of the innovations such
as the higher relief of the attendants in comparison with the rest of the sculpture, has not yet matured. It is a preview of art movement taking shape.
Let us ponder a moment about this so-called 'freedom of artistic expression' under Akhenaten. It does not imply individualism since the state artists worked in teams on approved themes inherited from the early dynasties. They were now freed from this traditionalism, which was encouraged by the priesthood, to do free poses encouraged by the Pharaoh. A swinging walk, relaxed comfort, tender relationships, predominate in the new art.
One theory is that the Amarna period was one of artistic degeneration. But degeneration does not take place overnight, and here in the tomb of Ramose the two art forms coexist. One may compare the stiff, unpainted, precise relief work of the earlier period with the first stages of the new realism. It is a unique opportunity to see the Pharaoh on one wall in perfect, divine immobility and, on the other, as the relaxed and physically imperfect man.
On the upper part of.the left-hand wall (e) is a peculiar juxtaposition of old and new in the group of mourners one of the most expressive and delightful drawings to be found in any tomb. Grief comes down the centuries in a heart-rending funerary convoy. The men carry boxes covered with cooling foliage, a jar of water and
flowers. A group of grieving women turn towards the funeral bier fling their arms about and throw dust in their hair, tears streaming down their cheeks. One woman is supported by a sympathetic attendant. One is so young as to be unclothed. Most of the figures are individual, expressing vaned movements and degrees of grief and are even of different sizes. But the group of five mourners at the center of the group of women are shown as a series of parallel lines behind the front figure. Traditions are not easily broken! Further along the wall women beat their breasts and thighs in grief or squat to gather dust to scatter on their heads.
Another theory about the representations of the Amarna period is that the young Pharaoh reverted to the archaic forms of art that he held so dear. He believed that Amon was but a usurper of the true sun-worship of Ra at Heliopolis and accordingly the proportions of pre-dynastic times were recaptured. The art he encouraged, in the words of Arthur Weigall, was 'a kind of renaissance - return to the classical period of archaic days."
In the doorway leading to the second, unfinished, chamber Ramose appears standing (on the left-hand side) and praying (on the right).
Pictures from the Tomb of Ramose, Luxor Egypt. from the Tombs of the Nobles.
The Valley of the Queens Plans - Luxor, Egypt.
Luxor, Egypt.
Background:
In this valley by no means all the queens of the New Kingdom were buried. It appears that a special burial ground for the royal consorts was started only in the reign of Ramses I and royal offspring were also buried here. There are signs that previously the queens were laid to rest beside their husbands in the Valley of the Kings, but pillage of the royal tombs has made it extremely difficult for archeologists to confirm this.
There are over twenty tombs in the Valley of the Queens. Many are unfinished and entirely without decoration, resembling caves rather than sacred tomb chambers. The most impressive is that of the wife of Ramses II, Queen Nefertari, his favorite. Although her tomb may only be visited by special permission because of the deterioration of the murals, it will nevertheless be described in order to give a picture of the memorial to a Pharaoh's love. This, and the tomb constructed for the son of Ramses III, Amon-hir-
Khopshef (Amen-hir-Khopshef), who died too young to pass alone into the divine presence of the gods of the underworld, are the most important.
Tomb of Nefertari
Nefer-tari or 'Beautiful Companion' has a magnificent tomb comprising an entrance hall (I) with a side chamber (2) leading off to the right. A corridor stairway (3) leads to the burial chamber (4) which has four square pillars and, in the center, a few stairs leading to what was once the site of the sarcophagus, sunk slightly lower than the ground rock. The walls throughout the tomb are elaborately worked in low relief, partly filled with stucco and painted.
The first thing that strikes one on entry into the tomb is the extravagant use of color and its astounding brilliance. The flesh hues, white robes, black hair, bright friezes give the impression of having been newly painted. And the second thing is the realism with which the queen herself has been painted. She is graceful andsensitive and extremely beautiful. Her form, as she appears before the various deities, is accompanied by only a modest amount of text. This, despite the excessive detail of the drawings, gives the impression of simplification, somewhat as though the presence of one so beautiful spoke for itself.
On the left-hand wall of the first chamber (a) is a series of magical formulas with the queen playing. At (b) the Ka worships the rising sun between two lions which symbolize the immediate past and the immediate future. To the right at (c) and (d) the goddesses Neith and Selket receive the queen. Maat, goddess of truth, is represented at each side of the entrance to the annex (e). In the side chamber (2) on the right-hand wall (f) the queen adores seven sacred cows, the bull and four steering oars of the sky. On the facing wall (g) she makes offerings to Osiris (on the left) and Atum (on the right). On the left-hand wall (h) she stands before the ibis-headed Thoth while Heqt the frog squats before him.
In the stair-cased corridor (3) Nefertari makes offerings to Isis (on the left) and Hathor (on the right) while guardian deities protect and guide her.
The murals of the tomb chamber (4) are not in such perfect condition but represent the deceased queen again with the deities.
As usual, demons guard the gates of the underworld and the queen passes by with the aid of the sacred formulas and emblems. In this tomb the safeguards and warnings against evil, and examples of possible sufferings to those. not pure in heart, seem to have been used to the minimum. One is conscious of a path of purity through the underworld, as though the journey of Ramses II's beloved was a mere formality.
Tomb of Amen-hir-Khopshef
The tomb comprises a large entrance hall with an unfinished annex to the right and the tomb chamber (unfinished).
On the left-hand wall, travelling clockwise, we wee the young prince following the Pharaoh Ramses III, who offers incense to Ptah (a) and then introduces his son. Afterwards he presents the boy to Duamutef and to Imsety (Imseti) (b), who conducts the pair to Isis. Note that Isis (c) looks over her shoulder to the advancing Pharaoh. She holds him by the hand.
On the right-hand wall (continuing clockwise) Ramses and his son are conducted to Hathor (d), Hapi, Qebehsenuef (e) Shu (f) and Nephthys (g) who puts her hand beneath the chin of the bereaved Pharaoh.
The corridors bear scenes from the Book of the Dead.
There was no mummy of the boy in the sarcophagus but in its place was a foetus of six months' development. Perhaps the mother miscarried due to grief at the loss of the boy. One can only speculate. The foetus is preserved in a small hermetically sealed glass in the tomb.
This is not Queen Tiy, consort of Amenhotep III and mother of Akhenaten, but a queen of the Ramesside era. The tomb is damaged but some of the murals still retain startling freshness of color. The figures of the gods and demons in the tomb chamber defy the years with their brightness.
The tomb is simple, comprising an ante-chamber (I), a long passage (2) and the tomb chamber (3), which is flanked by three small chambers.
On the rear wall of the chamber flanking the tomb chamber to the right (a) is a representation of Hathor who appears in the form of a cow in a mountainous landscape. In front there is a sycamore from which Hathor, now represented in human form, pours out Nile water to revive the queen.
The chamber on the opposite side (b) contains the mummy shaft. The rear chamber (c) shows genii of the dead and various gods seated at offering tables while the queen prays to them (to left and right). On the rear wall Osiris sits enthroned with Neith and Selket before him and Nephthys, Isis and Thoth behind him.
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Tomb of Ramses IX Plan – The Valley of the Kings, Egypt. Part VII
Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt.
This tomb is constructed on fairly classical lines and comprises three chambers, one following the other in a straight line. It is approached by an inclined plane with stepson either side. Flanking
the doorway are representations of the deceased standing before Harmaches and Osiris (a), and Amon and a goddess of the dead (b). The two pairs of chambers in this part of the corridor have no decorations.
On the right-hand wall, over the second chamber on the right (c ) are demons of the underworld including serpents and ghosts with the heads of bulls and jackals. At this point is the beginning of the text of the sun's journey through the underworld. On the left-hand side of the corridor (d) a priest pours forth the symbols for life, wealth, etc on the deceased Pharaoh, who is dressed like Osiris.
The priest wears the side-lock of a royal prince and is probably a son of the deceased.
The roof of the second corridor (2) is decorated with constellations. To both left and right (e) serpents rear themselves. Note the recesses for figures of the gods, followed on the left-hand wall (f) with the beginning of another text from the Book of the Dead and the deceased Pharaoh before the hawk-headed Sun God . On the opposite wall (g) are demons and spirits.
The third corridor (3) is also protected by serpents. On the right-hand wall (h) the Pharaoh presents an image of Maat to Ptah, the god of Memphis, beside whom stands the goddess Maat. Note that the transparent cloth of the skirt is cut in low relief thus enabling the foot and front legs of the Pharaoh to appear in high relief. Immediately beyond this representation we see the mummy of the Pharaoh across a mountain, symbolizing the resurrection.
The scarab and the sun-disc (above) indicate the bringing forth of renewed life on the earth. Towards the middle of this same wall (at i) are ritualistic representations including four men spitting out scarabs as they bend over backwards, demons standing upon serpents, serpents pierced by arrows and the scarab in a boat with two Horus eyes.On the left-hand wall (j) are the boats of the Sun God (center) traveling through the second and third hours of night bearing protective divinities.
We now enter a chamber (4). Beyond, at (k) and (I), are priests with panther skins and side-locks, sacrificing and making offerings before a standard. The next chamber (s) is rough and unfinished
and slopes downwards to the burial chamber through another corridor (6). In the burial chamber (7) there are traces (on the floor) of the sarcophagus. On the walls are gods and demons. The goddess Nut, representing the morning and evening skies, is shown across the rough ceiling in two figures. Below are constellations, boats of the stars, etc . On the rear wall (m) the child Horus, seated within the winged sun-disc, is symbolic of rebirth after death.
Tomb of Ramses III Plan -:Valley of the Kings, Egypt- Part VI
Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt:
This tomb is second in size, after the Tomb of Seti I and has become known as the Tomb of the Harp-Player. Its construction differs from the regular tomb in that five small chambers lead off either side of the first and second corridors, making ten in all. Each is devoted to aspects of the Pharaoh's life. It is also interesting that the first part of the tomb - up to the third room - was built by Setnakht (or Setnakhte), father of Ramses III, and in places where the paint has fallen off his cartouches are revealed . This is the tomb, it will be remembered, where the third corridor was diverted to the right after its builders had broken into an adjacent tomb by mistake.
Although the wall decorations may not be considered of the best artistic quality, their variety and richness are certainly unsurpassed. The entrance door is at the foot of a flight of steps on each side of which are small pillars with bulls' heads. Over the door is a representation of Isis and Nephthys worshiping the sun-disc. Along the first corridor are figures of Maat, goddess of integrity and truth, kneeling and sheltering with her wings the deceased Pharaoh as his body enters the tomb. On the walls are Praises of Ra. The Pharaoh
himself can be seen on the left-hand wall before Harmaches (one of the forms of the Sun God) followed by the familiar sacred serpent, crocodile and two gazelles' heads.We now turn to the five small chambers leading off the left-hand side of the corridor . The first chamber (a) contains various scenes of cooking, slaughtering and baking. The second chamber (b) has, on the entrance wall to the left , the kneeling god of the Nile bestowing his gifts to seven gods of fertility which have ears of corn on their heads. On the wall to the right the Nile god is seen before the serpent-headed goddess Napret, five apron-clad royal snakes and two gods of fertility. The third chamber (c) is largely-decorated with male and female local deities with offerings. In the bottom row are kneeling Nile gods. The fourth chamber (d) has representations of the guardian spirit of the deceased on either side of the entrance, each bearing a staff ending in a royal held. The other walls show double rows of rowers, sacred serpents and sacred cattle. The fifth chamber (e) contains the representations that gave the tomb its name: on the left wall are two harpists, one before Anhor and the hawk-headed Harmaches, and the other before Shu and Atum. The text on either side of the doorway is the song they sing asking that the blessed Pharaoh might be received.
As already stated, there are five chambers on the right-hand side of the corridor. The first (f) contains a double row of sailing ships: those In the upper row ready to set sail and those in the lower with sails furled. The second chamber (g) is the Pharaoh's armory. The walls have representations of all the royal weapons and standards. At the top of the left-hand wall are standards with heads of sacred animals. At the top of the right-hand wall are standards with gods' heads. On the rear wall are a multitude of bows, arrows and quivers.
The third chamber (h) is particularly interesting if were member that this was a very wealthy Pharaoh, for it contains his treasury. On the walls are representations of furniture and ornaments, utensils and jewelery, elaborate head-rests, cushioned benches and comfortable couches that are attained by steps. The fourth
chamber (i) has rural scenes. The Pharaoh sails along a canal watching ploughing, sowing and reaping. In the fields are sacred animals . The last chamber on the right-hand side (j) is notable for its twelve different forms of Osiris, the god of the underworld.
The fourth corridor is decorated with scenes from the Book of the Dead, and leads to an ante-chamber (5) with representations of the Pharaoh In the presence of the gods of the underworld. The sloping passage (6) that follows has side galleries supported by four pillars, and a doorway on the right leading to a small chamber (7) ; here are some fine representations: on the right-hand wall (k) the Pharaoh is guided by the deities Thoth and Har-Khentkheti. On the left-hand wall (I) he presents the image of truth to Osiris, god of the underworld. On the rear wall (m) the Pharaoh stands in the presence of Osiris.
The following corridor (8) is badly damaged, as are the ante-chambers that precede the tomb chamber itself (10). This is a long oblong room with four pillars on each side and an extra chamber at each of the four corners. The actual sarcophagus is now in the French museum “Louvre”, its lid is in Cambridge, and the Pharaoh' s mummy, amongst those taken from the shaft at Deir el Bahri (Hatshepsut Temple), is now in the Cairo Museum.
Tomb of Ramses VI Plan - Valley of the Kings - Part V - Luxor, Egypt
Valley of the kings, Luxor, Egypt.
This tomb was started by Ramses V and was usurped by his successor. It has three entrance halls, two chambers, a further two corridors, an ante-chamber and the tomb chamber. The wall representations are carried out in low painted relief. The standard of craftsmanship is not high but the tomb chamber itself has one of the most important ceilings in the Valley of the Kings. In fact names and mottoes in Coptic and Greek show that this Golden Hall was an attraction from the first century A.D.
The first three corridors carry texts and representations from the Praises of Ra .On both sides of the first corridor, at (a) and (b), the deceased Pharaoh stands before the deities Harachte (Horus) and Osiris. On the right-hand side of the second corridor (c) is the barge of the Sun God with the twelve hours of night. Towards the end of the left-hand wall (d) is the figure of Osiris before whom is the boat of the Sun God. A pig (representing evil) is being driven away from it by sacred dog-headed apes. We now pass into the third corridor.
On the roof there is a painting of the goddess Nut which extends from the beginning of the corridor (3) , through the ante-chamber (4) when: her body curves to the right of the roof, and ends in the chamber (5). On the right-hand wall of the third corridor is a superb representation of Osiris under a canopy (e).
The chamber (5) has four columns and a sloping passage at the rear which is guarded by sacred winged snakes. The columns show the Pharaoh making offerings to the deities. The roof is rich in color. On the rear walls (f) and (g) are representations of the enthroned Osiris before whom the deceased burns incense.
Though the color is well-preserved, the reliefs are inferior when compared to those in the tomb of Seti I. 
The following corridor (6) takes us further along the road to the underworld. On the left -hand side (h) is the journey in the fourth hour with the sacred cow (center row) and the crocodile in a boat (second row).
The following corridor (6) takes us further along the road to the underworld. On the left -hand side (h) is the journey in the fourth hour with the sacred cow (center row) and the crocodile in a boat (second row).
The sloping corridor (7) has sacred and protective emblems and religious formulas from the book of "That which is in the Underworld" , and leads to an ante-chamber (8). On the right-hand wall (i) is the deceased Pharaoh with Maat. The left-hand wall (j) has texts from the Book of the Dead.
Dark blue and gold predominate in the tomb chamber (9). Across the vaulted ceiling 'the goddess Nut is twice represented along its entire length, in a graceful semi-circle with backs touching. This represents the morning and evening skies. Her elongated body curves to touch the earth with finger and toe, head to the west, loins to the east.
The entire chamber is a complex of appropriate texts from the Book of the Dead. For example, on the right-hand wall (k) is a small representation (second row) of the boat of the Sun God, who is represented in the shape of a beetle with a ram's head. The boat is being worshiped by two human-headed birds and the souls of Khepri and Atum (forms of the Sun God). Below this scene (to left and right) are the beheaded condemned and above is a representation of the goddess Nut with upstrctched arms.
In the niche at the rear of the tomb chamber (l) is the barge of the Sun God held aloft in upstretched arms.
The smashed sarcophagus of the Pharaoh and his molested mummy were left onsite by the grave-robbers who violated the tomb.
Egypt: Tomb of Seti I Plan - Valley of the Kings - Part III Largest Tomb
Giovanni Belzoni, who discovered the tomb in 1817, was a circus man who originally came to Egypt to market an irrigation pump he had designed in England. The project fell through but he arranged the transportation of the colossal head of Ramses II from the Ramasseum to the British Museum in London.
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| This is a classical tomb that far surpasses all others in the Valley of the Kings both in size and in the artistic execution of the sculptured walls. Every inch of wall space of its entire 100 meter length is covered with representations which were carried out by the finest craftsmen. |
The second corridor (2), which is staircased, has thirty-seven forms of the Sun God depicted on the upper part of the recesses on both sides. As we descend to the third corridor , Maat, goddess of truth, faces us with outstretched wings above the doorway (r). Isis is represented on the left-hand side (d), and Nephthys (Nebethet) on the right (e), and they both kneel on the hieroglyph for 'gold' and place their hands upon a seal ring. Above them, on each side of the corridor, the jackal-god Anubis can be seen. The wall reliefs here have not been completed but we can see the outlines in black, the master's touch in red, and the accuracy with which the relief is carved from the bottom up wards.
Proceeding beneath Maat with her outstretched wings we pass into the third corridor (3), which has dramatic representations of the fifth hour of night from the fifth chapter of the Book of the Dead. Towards the middle of the left-hand wall (f) the sun-boat (damaged) is driven through the netherworld by seven gods and seven goddesses and in front of it march four gods and the goddess Isis. On the right-hand wall (g) the Sun God and his retinue are drawn through a land inhabited by demons and monsters (top and bottom rows) and we see a serpent with three heads, wings and human legs. But the Sun God is safe, drawn by Horus and Thoth (middle row) who carry an eye as a protection against evil. The ceiling is blackened from the candles of the early Christians who hid in the tomb, as it is believed.
From the third corridor onwards the quality of the color on the reliefs is superb. We now come to a small ante-chamber (4). The walls, both to left and right, show the Pharaoh between Harmachis and Isis offering wine to Hathor. We now enter a square chamber with four pillars (s) . On the pillars themselves the Pharaoh is shown before the various deities: Isis and Nephthys (Nebethet) the sister-wife and the sister of Osiris, Harbor the goddess of joy and love who was also the goddess of Dendera to whom the cow was sacred, Selket the goddess to whom the scorpion was sacred, Horus the universal Sun God, and Harsiesis and Harmaches who were special forms of Horus; also of course Anubis, the jackal-god of embalming. The walls, especially those at the sides, have marvelous representations of the sun travelling through the fourth region of the underworld. On the rear wall (h) Osiris is enthroned before Hathor while the Pharaoh is led into his presence by the hawk-headed Horus. This is a superb mural with intricate detail and rich color. Near the corner of the left-handwall (i) the four chief races of men known at the time stand before Horus: these are Egyptians, Asiatics with pointed beards and colored aprons, four backs and four Libyans with feathers on their heads and tattooed bodies.The chamber (6), situated to the right and entered via an arrow flight of steps, was never completed. Whether this was because it was discovered that the walls were of inferior material, or as a blind to mislead grave-robbers, is not known, but the sketches on the walls are bold and compelling and show the touch of a master craftsman. The original sketch was done in red. The corrections in black were probably the work of the senior artist , after which the carvers took over. The left-hand wall (j) shows the journey during the ninth hour of the underworld: the sacred cow, ram, bird and human head guarding the procession against the fiery serpents. On the rear-wall (k) is the tenth hour with the hawk joining the protective deities and the spirits carrying arrows and lances. On the right-hand wall (I) is the eleventh hour with the condemned in the lower row. The enemies of the Sun God are being burned under the supervision of the hawk-headed Horus in strange furnaces, whilst fire-breathing goddesses stand watch with swords.
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| (The picture above is for the ceiling of the tomb of Seti I at the Valley of the Kings) |
We descend a few more steps into a small corridor (8) which is decorated with texts of the ceremonies performed before the statue of the deceased Pharaoh in order that he may eat and drink in the hereafter. On the right-hand wall (n) is a list of offerings.
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The picture above is of an unfinished relief work at the tomb of Seti I |
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The picture above is for a scene from burial chamber of Seti I's tomb |
the tomb was discovered. It was made out of a single piece of alabaster, carved to a thickness of two inches and with the exquisite reliefs filled in with blue paste. This magnificent piece is comparable only to the alabaster vase found in Tutankhamun's tomb which is today in the Cairo Museum. The mummy, which was one of those found at Deir el Bahri (Hatshepsut's Temple), is in the same museum. The sarcophagus lies in the Soane Museumin in London. When Belzoni, who was commissioned to transport it, took it to the British Museum, the trustees considered the price set too high and the treasure was without a buyer until 1824 when Sir John Soane paid £2,000 for it. The decorations on the walls of the pillared portion of the hall show the journey through the first region of the underworld on the left entrance-wall (0) and through the fourth region of the underworld on the left-hand wall (p). In a small recess at the end of this wall (q) is a beautiful representation of Anubis performing theopening-of- the-mouth ceremony before Osiris. On the right-hand entrance wall (r) and the right-hand wall (s) are representations of the journey through the second region of the underworld. The vaulted ceiling has been painted with astrological figures. From early times, of course, the Egyptians had mapped out the heavens, identified some of the fixed stars and were able to determine the positions of others. This ceiling is unusual in that it has not been painted in the familiar balanced, repetitive form. Adjoining the tomb chamber are four side-rooms. The first one on the right (11) has the text of a myth that concerns the rebellion of mankind against the Sun God, their punishment and final rescue. On the rear wall is a magnificent relief of the heavenly cow of the myth supported by Shu, the god of the atmosphere,and bearing on its back two boats of the sun.
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| The Tomb of Seti I, Book of the Dead |
The Pharaoh will overcome. With the help of the Sun God the doors of the hereafter are open to him. He will enter with his valuables and possessions; with the ability to eat and drink; and imbued with life so as to reign again. This is his ultimate hope.
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Showing posts with label Maat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maat. Show all posts
Pictures: Maat at the Tomb of Nefertari. Valley of the Queens.
Maat, goddess of truth and personification of the concept maat, opens her wings to embrace and protect the cartouche of the 19th Dynasty queen Nefertari. On her head Maat wears the feather of truth. Tomb of Nefertari. Valley of the Queens.
Tomb of Ramose Plan - Tombs of the Nobles - Luxor, Egypt. Part III
This tomb belongs to the vizier in the reigns of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten). It comprises a main hall with thirty-two rather squat papyrus columns (1), an inner hall (2) containing eight clustered columns of smaller dimension (all destroyed) and the shrine (3).
Ramose was one of the earliest converts to the sun-worship and his tomb is therefore of historical significance as one of the few standing monuments in Thebes of the period between the two faiths. It is moreover of artistic significance since it gives a unique opportunity to see conventional relief representations alongside the new realism which has become known as the Amarna period.
Before we describe the tomb of Ramose a word should be said about Akhenaten's sun-worship and the art it heralded. The movement was not the isolated act of a rebellious Pharaoh who established a new capital in Tel el Amarna with a set of original ideas and a new outlook. The sun-worship of Akhenaten was introduced in Thebes over a number of years. The formation of a new capital, rendering Amon no more than a local deity, was really only the final step in a continuing process.
Light is still being shed on the transition period from one worship to another. There is considerable evidence to support the theory that Amenhotep III and his son (Akhenaten) shared a co-regency for many years at Thebes, and that, while the father was too disabled by ill-health and his son too young for the responsibility, Queen Tiy laid the foundations for the new thought that her son (Akhenaten) was to bring to fruition. Among the first steps taken were the 'enlightenment' of certain Theban noblemen to the 'truth of monotheism', and a breakaway from the traditional forms of art. The tomb of Ramose dates from this period. It was started in the traditional style, continued in the new and left unfinished when Ramose followed his master to Tel el Amarna.On both the left and right eastern walls of the main chamber, the murals are in unpainted, stylized relief. This was the conventional mural form typical of Amenhotep III's last years when his son (Akhenaten) may have been co-regent. On the southern half (a) Ramose the deceased vizier sits with his relatives. The men and women of his household are depicted in the traditional manner with regular faces, clothes and elaborate wigs, the details of which were carried out with faultless precision; the only paintwork is on the eyes. On the northern wall (b) are scenes of worship, offerings and religious ceremonies. The representation that most fully shows the stylized, unemotional, traditional treatment of the mural is that on the left-hand rear wall (c) by the central doorway. It is a portrayal of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), as he was then still called, seated below a canopy with Maat. Ramose himself is twice represented before the throne. This scene probably dates from the period of the building of the first temple to the sun at Thebes, a time when Amon was not yet openly challenged but the worship of Aton (or Aten) was nevertheless taking root.
However on the right-hand rear wall (d) we see a quite new mood. Now the young Pharaoh, who changed his name to Akhenaten only after he setup the new capital, stands with his royal consort Nefretiti (Nefertiti) on a.balcony, while Ramose, depicted in Amarna style and attitude, is being decorated with chams. Though it is still in relief, one can easily recognize the new realism, especially in the portrayal of the Pharaoh and his wife. Compared with the divine incarnation of Amon at (c), here at (d) we see the Pharaoh with belly extended in unflattering truth. Above is the life-giving sun with fourteen rays. Four of them hold symbols of life and happiness. Two support his outstretched arm. Another offers the symbol of life to the nostrils of the queen. Behind is the royal bodyguard. This mural probably dates from the period just before the departure from Thebes and already the thick loins of the Amarna period are apparent, though some of the innovations such
as the higher relief of the attendants in comparison with the rest of the sculpture, has not yet matured. It is a preview of art movement taking shape.
Let us ponder a moment about this so-called 'freedom of artistic expression' under Akhenaten. It does not imply individualism since the state artists worked in teams on approved themes inherited from the early dynasties. They were now freed from this traditionalism, which was encouraged by the priesthood, to do free poses encouraged by the Pharaoh. A swinging walk, relaxed comfort, tender relationships, predominate in the new art.
One theory is that the Amarna period was one of artistic degeneration. But degeneration does not take place overnight, and here in the tomb of Ramose the two art forms coexist. One may compare the stiff, unpainted, precise relief work of the earlier period with the first stages of the new realism. It is a unique opportunity to see the Pharaoh on one wall in perfect, divine immobility and, on the other, as the relaxed and physically imperfect man.
On the upper part of.the left-hand wall (e) is a peculiar juxtaposition of old and new in the group of mourners one of the most expressive and delightful drawings to be found in any tomb. Grief comes down the centuries in a heart-rending funerary convoy. The men carry boxes covered with cooling foliage, a jar of water and
flowers. A group of grieving women turn towards the funeral bier fling their arms about and throw dust in their hair, tears streaming down their cheeks. One woman is supported by a sympathetic attendant. One is so young as to be unclothed. Most of the figures are individual, expressing vaned movements and degrees of grief and are even of different sizes. But the group of five mourners at the center of the group of women are shown as a series of parallel lines behind the front figure. Traditions are not easily broken! Further along the wall women beat their breasts and thighs in grief or squat to gather dust to scatter on their heads.
Another theory about the representations of the Amarna period is that the young Pharaoh reverted to the archaic forms of art that he held so dear. He believed that Amon was but a usurper of the true sun-worship of Ra at Heliopolis and accordingly the proportions of pre-dynastic times were recaptured. The art he encouraged, in the words of Arthur Weigall, was 'a kind of renaissance - return to the classical period of archaic days."
In the doorway leading to the second, unfinished, chamber Ramose appears standing (on the left-hand side) and praying (on the right).
Pictures from the Tomb of Ramose, Luxor Egypt. from the Tombs of the Nobles.
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Amenhotep III,
Amenhotep IV,
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Nefertiti,
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Tombs of the Nobles,
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The Valley of the Queens Plans - Luxor, Egypt.
Luxor, Egypt.
Background:
In this valley by no means all the queens of the New Kingdom were buried. It appears that a special burial ground for the royal consorts was started only in the reign of Ramses I and royal offspring were also buried here. There are signs that previously the queens were laid to rest beside their husbands in the Valley of the Kings, but pillage of the royal tombs has made it extremely difficult for archeologists to confirm this.
There are over twenty tombs in the Valley of the Queens. Many are unfinished and entirely without decoration, resembling caves rather than sacred tomb chambers. The most impressive is that of the wife of Ramses II, Queen Nefertari, his favorite. Although her tomb may only be visited by special permission because of the deterioration of the murals, it will nevertheless be described in order to give a picture of the memorial to a Pharaoh's love. This, and the tomb constructed for the son of Ramses III, Amon-hir-
Khopshef (Amen-hir-Khopshef), who died too young to pass alone into the divine presence of the gods of the underworld, are the most important.
Tomb of Nefertari
Nefer-tari or 'Beautiful Companion' has a magnificent tomb comprising an entrance hall (I) with a side chamber (2) leading off to the right. A corridor stairway (3) leads to the burial chamber (4) which has four square pillars and, in the center, a few stairs leading to what was once the site of the sarcophagus, sunk slightly lower than the ground rock. The walls throughout the tomb are elaborately worked in low relief, partly filled with stucco and painted.
The first thing that strikes one on entry into the tomb is the extravagant use of color and its astounding brilliance. The flesh hues, white robes, black hair, bright friezes give the impression of having been newly painted. And the second thing is the realism with which the queen herself has been painted. She is graceful and
sensitive and extremely beautiful. Her form, as she appears before the various deities, is accompanied by only a modest amount of text. This, despite the excessive detail of the drawings, gives the impression of simplification, somewhat as though the presence of one so beautiful spoke for itself.
On the left-hand wall of the first chamber (a) is a series of magical formulas with the queen playing. At (b) the Ka worships the rising sun between two lions which symbolize the immediate past and the immediate future. To the right at (c) and (d) the goddesses Neith and Selket receive the queen. Maat, goddess of truth, is represented at each side of the entrance to the annex (e). In the side chamber (2) on the right-hand wall (f) the queen adores seven sacred cows, the bull and four steering oars of the sky. On the facing wall (g) she makes offerings to Osiris (on the left) and Atum (on the right). On the left-hand wall (h) she stands before the ibis-headed Thoth while Heqt the frog squats before him.
In the stair-cased corridor (3) Nefertari makes offerings to Isis (on the left) and Hathor (on the right) while guardian deities protect and guide her.
The murals of the tomb chamber (4) are not in such perfect condition but represent the deceased queen again with the deities.
As usual, demons guard the gates of the underworld and the queen passes by with the aid of the sacred formulas and emblems. In this tomb the safeguards and warnings against evil, and examples of possible sufferings to those. not pure in heart, seem to have been used to the minimum. One is conscious of a path of purity through the underworld, as though the journey of Ramses II's beloved was a mere formality.
Tomb of Amen-hir-Khopshef
In this charming tomb Ramses III himself leads his son Amon-Hir-Khopshef into the presence of the divine gods of the underworld. The nine-year-old boy wears the side-lock of youth ,and carries the feather of truth as he obediently follows his father. The reliefs are of fine quality low painted relief, in excellently preserved color. In fact the murals of this tomb are amongst the finest on the necropolis.
The tomb comprises a large entrance hall with an unfinished annex to the right and the tomb chamber (unfinished).
On the left-hand wall, travelling clockwise, we wee the young prince following the Pharaoh Ramses III, who offers incense to Ptah (a) and then introduces his son. Afterwards he presents the boy to Duamutef and to Imsety (Imseti) (b), who conducts the pair to Isis. Note that Isis (c) looks over her shoulder to the advancing Pharaoh. She holds him by the hand.
On the right-hand wall (continuing clockwise) Ramses and his son are conducted to Hathor (d), Hapi, Qebehsenuef (e) Shu (f) and Nephthys (g) who puts her hand beneath the chin of the bereaved Pharaoh.
The corridors bear scenes from the Book of the Dead.
There was no mummy of the boy in the sarcophagus but in its place was a foetus of six months' development. Perhaps the mother miscarried due to grief at the loss of the boy. One can only speculate. The foetus is preserved in a small hermetically sealed glass in the tomb.
Tomb of Queen Titi (Tyti)
This is not Queen Tiy, consort of Amenhotep III and mother of Akhenaten, but a queen of the Ramesside era. The tomb is damaged but some of the murals still retain startling freshness of color. The figures of the gods and demons in the tomb chamber defy the years with their brightness.
The tomb is simple, comprising an ante-chamber (I), a long passage (2) and the tomb chamber (3), which is flanked by three small chambers.
On the rear wall of the chamber flanking the tomb chamber to the right (a) is a representation of Hathor who appears in the form of a cow in a mountainous landscape. In front there is a sycamore from which Hathor, now represented in human form, pours out Nile water to revive the queen.
The chamber on the opposite side (b) contains the mummy shaft. The rear chamber (c) shows genii of the dead and various gods seated at offering tables while the queen prays to them (to left and right). On the rear wall Osiris sits enthroned with Neith and Selket before him and Nephthys, Isis and Thoth behind him.
Background:
In this valley by no means all the queens of the New Kingdom were buried. It appears that a special burial ground for the royal consorts was started only in the reign of Ramses I and royal offspring were also buried here. There are signs that previously the queens were laid to rest beside their husbands in the Valley of the Kings, but pillage of the royal tombs has made it extremely difficult for archeologists to confirm this.
There are over twenty tombs in the Valley of the Queens. Many are unfinished and entirely without decoration, resembling caves rather than sacred tomb chambers. The most impressive is that of the wife of Ramses II, Queen Nefertari, his favorite. Although her tomb may only be visited by special permission because of the deterioration of the murals, it will nevertheless be described in order to give a picture of the memorial to a Pharaoh's love. This, and the tomb constructed for the son of Ramses III, Amon-hir-
Khopshef (Amen-hir-Khopshef), who died too young to pass alone into the divine presence of the gods of the underworld, are the most important.
Tomb of Nefertari
Nefer-tari or 'Beautiful Companion' has a magnificent tomb comprising an entrance hall (I) with a side chamber (2) leading off to the right. A corridor stairway (3) leads to the burial chamber (4) which has four square pillars and, in the center, a few stairs leading to what was once the site of the sarcophagus, sunk slightly lower than the ground rock. The walls throughout the tomb are elaborately worked in low relief, partly filled with stucco and painted.
The first thing that strikes one on entry into the tomb is the extravagant use of color and its astounding brilliance. The flesh hues, white robes, black hair, bright friezes give the impression of having been newly painted. And the second thing is the realism with which the queen herself has been painted. She is graceful andsensitive and extremely beautiful. Her form, as she appears before the various deities, is accompanied by only a modest amount of text. This, despite the excessive detail of the drawings, gives the impression of simplification, somewhat as though the presence of one so beautiful spoke for itself.
On the left-hand wall of the first chamber (a) is a series of magical formulas with the queen playing. At (b) the Ka worships the rising sun between two lions which symbolize the immediate past and the immediate future. To the right at (c) and (d) the goddesses Neith and Selket receive the queen. Maat, goddess of truth, is represented at each side of the entrance to the annex (e). In the side chamber (2) on the right-hand wall (f) the queen adores seven sacred cows, the bull and four steering oars of the sky. On the facing wall (g) she makes offerings to Osiris (on the left) and Atum (on the right). On the left-hand wall (h) she stands before the ibis-headed Thoth while Heqt the frog squats before him.
In the stair-cased corridor (3) Nefertari makes offerings to Isis (on the left) and Hathor (on the right) while guardian deities protect and guide her.
The murals of the tomb chamber (4) are not in such perfect condition but represent the deceased queen again with the deities.
As usual, demons guard the gates of the underworld and the queen passes by with the aid of the sacred formulas and emblems. In this tomb the safeguards and warnings against evil, and examples of possible sufferings to those. not pure in heart, seem to have been used to the minimum. One is conscious of a path of purity through the underworld, as though the journey of Ramses II's beloved was a mere formality.
Tomb of Amen-hir-Khopshef
The tomb comprises a large entrance hall with an unfinished annex to the right and the tomb chamber (unfinished).
On the left-hand wall, travelling clockwise, we wee the young prince following the Pharaoh Ramses III, who offers incense to Ptah (a) and then introduces his son. Afterwards he presents the boy to Duamutef and to Imsety (Imseti) (b), who conducts the pair to Isis. Note that Isis (c) looks over her shoulder to the advancing Pharaoh. She holds him by the hand.
On the right-hand wall (continuing clockwise) Ramses and his son are conducted to Hathor (d), Hapi, Qebehsenuef (e) Shu (f) and Nephthys (g) who puts her hand beneath the chin of the bereaved Pharaoh.
The corridors bear scenes from the Book of the Dead.
There was no mummy of the boy in the sarcophagus but in its place was a foetus of six months' development. Perhaps the mother miscarried due to grief at the loss of the boy. One can only speculate. The foetus is preserved in a small hermetically sealed glass in the tomb.
This is not Queen Tiy, consort of Amenhotep III and mother of Akhenaten, but a queen of the Ramesside era. The tomb is damaged but some of the murals still retain startling freshness of color. The figures of the gods and demons in the tomb chamber defy the years with their brightness.
The tomb is simple, comprising an ante-chamber (I), a long passage (2) and the tomb chamber (3), which is flanked by three small chambers.
On the rear wall of the chamber flanking the tomb chamber to the right (a) is a representation of Hathor who appears in the form of a cow in a mountainous landscape. In front there is a sycamore from which Hathor, now represented in human form, pours out Nile water to revive the queen.
The chamber on the opposite side (b) contains the mummy shaft. The rear chamber (c) shows genii of the dead and various gods seated at offering tables while the queen prays to them (to left and right). On the rear wall Osiris sits enthroned with Neith and Selket before him and Nephthys, Isis and Thoth behind him.
Tags:
Amen-hir-Khopshef,
ancient,
ancient egypt,
Duamutef,
Egypt,
Heqt,
Imsety,
Isis,
Maat,
Nefertari,
Neith,
Nephthys,
Pharaoh,
Qebehsenuef,
Ramses II,
Sleket,
Titi,
Tombs,
Valley of the Queens
Tomb of Ramses IX Plan – The Valley of the Kings, Egypt. Part VII
Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt.
This tomb is constructed on fairly classical lines and comprises three chambers, one following the other in a straight line. It is approached by an inclined plane with stepson either side. Flanking
the doorway are representations of the deceased standing before Harmaches and Osiris (a), and Amon and a goddess of the dead (b). The two pairs of chambers in this part of the corridor have no decorations.
On the right-hand wall, over the second chamber on the right (c ) are demons of the underworld including serpents and ghosts with the heads of bulls and jackals. At this point is the beginning of the text of the sun's journey through the underworld. On the left-hand side of the corridor (d) a priest pours forth the symbols for life, wealth, etc on the deceased Pharaoh, who is dressed like Osiris.
The priest wears the side-lock of a royal prince and is probably a son of the deceased.
The roof of the second corridor (2) is decorated with constellations. To both left and right (e) serpents rear themselves. Note the recesses for figures of the gods, followed on the left-hand wall (f) with the beginning of another text from the Book of the Dead and the deceased Pharaoh before the hawk-headed Sun God . On the opposite wall (g) are demons and spirits.
The third corridor (3) is also protected by serpents. On the right-hand wall (h) the Pharaoh presents an image of Maat to Ptah, the god of Memphis, beside whom stands the goddess Maat. Note that the transparent cloth of the skirt is cut in low relief thus enabling the foot and front legs of the Pharaoh to appear in high relief. Immediately beyond this representation we see the mummy of the Pharaoh across a mountain, symbolizing the resurrection.
The scarab and the sun-disc (above) indicate the bringing forth of renewed life on the earth. Towards the middle of this same wall (at i) are ritualistic representations including four men spitting out scarabs as they bend over backwards, demons standing upon serpents, serpents pierced by arrows and the scarab in a boat with two Horus eyes.
On the left-hand wall (j) are the boats of the Sun God (center) traveling through the second and third hours of night bearing protective divinities.
We now enter a chamber (4). Beyond, at (k) and (I), are priests with panther skins and side-locks, sacrificing and making offerings before a standard. The next chamber (s) is rough and unfinished
and slopes downwards to the burial chamber through another corridor (6). In the burial chamber (7) there are traces (on the floor) of the sarcophagus. On the walls are gods and demons. The goddess Nut, representing the morning and evening skies, is shown across the rough ceiling in two figures. Below are constellations, boats of the stars, etc . On the rear wall (m) the child Horus, seated within the winged sun-disc, is symbolic of rebirth after death.
This tomb is constructed on fairly classical lines and comprises three chambers, one following the other in a straight line. It is approached by an inclined plane with stepson either side. Flanking
the doorway are representations of the deceased standing before Harmaches and Osiris (a), and Amon and a goddess of the dead (b). The two pairs of chambers in this part of the corridor have no decorations.
On the right-hand wall, over the second chamber on the right (c ) are demons of the underworld including serpents and ghosts with the heads of bulls and jackals. At this point is the beginning of the text of the sun's journey through the underworld. On the left-hand side of the corridor (d) a priest pours forth the symbols for life, wealth, etc on the deceased Pharaoh, who is dressed like Osiris.
The priest wears the side-lock of a royal prince and is probably a son of the deceased.
The roof of the second corridor (2) is decorated with constellations. To both left and right (e) serpents rear themselves. Note the recesses for figures of the gods, followed on the left-hand wall (f) with the beginning of another text from the Book of the Dead and the deceased Pharaoh before the hawk-headed Sun God . On the opposite wall (g) are demons and spirits.The third corridor (3) is also protected by serpents. On the right-hand wall (h) the Pharaoh presents an image of Maat to Ptah, the god of Memphis, beside whom stands the goddess Maat. Note that the transparent cloth of the skirt is cut in low relief thus enabling the foot and front legs of the Pharaoh to appear in high relief. Immediately beyond this representation we see the mummy of the Pharaoh across a mountain, symbolizing the resurrection.The scarab and the sun-disc (above) indicate the bringing forth of renewed life on the earth. Towards the middle of this same wall (at i) are ritualistic representations including four men spitting out scarabs as they bend over backwards, demons standing upon serpents, serpents pierced by arrows and the scarab in a boat with two Horus eyes.On the left-hand wall (j) are the boats of the Sun God (center) traveling through the second and third hours of night bearing protective divinities.
We now enter a chamber (4). Beyond, at (k) and (I), are priests with panther skins and side-locks, sacrificing and making offerings before a standard. The next chamber (s) is rough and unfinished
and slopes downwards to the burial chamber through another corridor (6). In the burial chamber (7) there are traces (on the floor) of the sarcophagus. On the walls are gods and demons. The goddess Nut, representing the morning and evening skies, is shown across the rough ceiling in two figures. Below are constellations, boats of the stars, etc . On the rear wall (m) the child Horus, seated within the winged sun-disc, is symbolic of rebirth after death.
Tomb of Ramses III Plan -:Valley of the Kings, Egypt- Part VI
Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt:
This tomb is second in size, after the Tomb of Seti I and has become known as the Tomb of the Harp-Player. Its construction differs from the regular tomb in that five small chambers lead off either side of the first and second corridors, making ten in all. Each is devoted to aspects of the Pharaoh's life. It is also interesting that the first part of the tomb - up to the third room - was built by Setnakht (or Setnakhte), father of Ramses III, and in places where the paint has fallen off his cartouches are revealed . This is the tomb, it will be remembered, where the third corridor was diverted to the right after its builders had broken into an adjacent tomb by mistake.Although the wall decorations may not be considered of the best artistic quality, their variety and richness are certainly unsurpassed. The entrance door is at the foot of a flight of steps on each side of which are small pillars with bulls' heads. Over the door is a representation of Isis and Nephthys worshiping the sun-disc. Along the first corridor are figures of Maat, goddess of integrity and truth, kneeling and sheltering with her wings the deceased Pharaoh as his body enters the tomb. On the walls are Praises of Ra. The Pharaohhimself can be seen on the left-hand wall before Harmaches (one of the forms of the Sun God) followed by the familiar sacred serpent, crocodile and two gazelles' heads.We now turn to the five small chambers leading off the left-hand side of the corridor . The first chamber (a) contains various scenes of cooking, slaughtering and baking. The second chamber (b) has, on the entrance wall to the left , the kneeling god of the Nile bestowing his gifts to seven gods of fertility which have ears of corn on their heads. On the wall to the right the Nile god is seen before the serpent-headed goddess Napret, five apron-clad royal snakes and two gods of fertility. The third chamber (c) is largely-decorated with male and female local deities with offerings. In the bottom row are kneeling Nile gods. The fourth chamber (d) has representations of the guardian spirit of the deceased on either side of the entrance, each bearing a staff ending in a royal held. The other walls show double rows of rowers, sacred serpents and sacred cattle. The fifth chamber (e) contains the representations that gave the tomb its name: on the left wall are two harpists, one before Anhor and the hawk-headed Harmaches, and the other before Shu and Atum. The text on either side of the doorway is the song they sing asking that the blessed Pharaoh might be received.
As already stated, there are five chambers on the right-hand side of the corridor. The first (f) contains a double row of sailing ships: those In the upper row ready to set sail and those in the lower with sails furled. The second chamber (g) is the Pharaoh's armory. The walls have representations of all the royal weapons and standards. At the top of the left-hand wall are standards with heads of sacred animals. At the top of the right-hand wall are standards with gods' heads. On the rear wall are a multitude of bows, arrows and quivers.
The third chamber (h) is particularly interesting if were member that this was a very wealthy Pharaoh, for it contains his treasury. On the walls are representations of furniture and ornaments, utensils and jewelery, elaborate head-rests, cushioned benches and comfortable couches that are attained by steps. The fourth
chamber (i) has rural scenes. The Pharaoh sails along a canal watching ploughing, sowing and reaping. In the fields are sacred animals . The last chamber on the right-hand side (j) is notable for its twelve different forms of Osiris, the god of the underworld.
The fourth corridor is decorated with scenes from the Book of the Dead, and leads to an ante-chamber (5) with representations of the Pharaoh In the presence of the gods of the underworld. The sloping passage (6) that follows has side galleries supported by four pillars, and a doorway on the right leading to a small chamber (7) ; here are some fine representations: on the right-hand wall (k) the Pharaoh is guided by the deities Thoth and Har-Khentkheti. On the left-hand wall (I) he presents the image of truth to Osiris, god of the underworld. On the rear wall (m) the Pharaoh stands in the presence of Osiris.
The following corridor (8) is badly damaged, as are the ante-chambers that precede the tomb chamber itself (10). This is a long oblong room with four pillars on each side and an extra chamber at each of the four corners. The actual sarcophagus is now in the French museum “Louvre”, its lid is in Cambridge, and the Pharaoh' s mummy, amongst those taken from the shaft at Deir el Bahri (Hatshepsut Temple), is now in the Cairo Museum.
Tomb of Ramses VI Plan - Valley of the Kings - Part V - Luxor, Egypt
Valley of the kings, Luxor, Egypt.
This tomb was started by Ramses V and was usurped by his successor. It has three entrance halls, two chambers, a further two corridors, an ante-chamber and the tomb chamber. The wall representations are carried out in low painted relief. The standard of craftsmanship is not high but the tomb chamber itself has one of the most important ceilings in the Valley of the Kings. In fact names and mottoes in Coptic and Greek show that this Golden Hall was an attraction from the first century A.D.
The first three corridors carry texts and representations from the Praises of Ra .On both sides of the first corridor, at (a) and (b), the deceased Pharaoh stands before the deities Harachte (Horus) and Osiris. On the right-hand side of the second corridor (c) is the barge of the Sun God with the twelve hours of night. Towards the end of the left-hand wall (d) is the figure of Osiris before whom is the boat of the Sun God. A pig (representing evil) is being driven away from it by sacred dog-headed apes. We now pass into the third corridor.
On the roof there is a painting of the goddess Nut which extends from the beginning of the corridor (3) , through the ante-chamber (4) when: her body curves to the right of the roof, and ends in the chamber (5). On the right-hand wall of the third corridor is a superb representation of Osiris under a canopy (e).
The chamber (5) has four columns and a sloping passage at the rear which is guarded by sacred winged snakes. The columns show the Pharaoh making offerings to the deities. The roof is rich in color. On the rear walls (f) and (g) are representations of the enthroned Osiris before whom the deceased burns incense.
Though the color is well-preserved, the reliefs are inferior when compared to those in the tomb of Seti I. The following corridor (6) takes us further along the road to the underworld. On the left -hand side (h) is the journey in the fourth hour with the sacred cow (center row) and the crocodile in a boat (second row).
The following corridor (6) takes us further along the road to the underworld. On the left -hand side (h) is the journey in the fourth hour with the sacred cow (center row) and the crocodile in a boat (second row).
The sloping corridor (7) has sacred and protective emblems and religious formulas from the book of "That which is in the Underworld" , and leads to an ante-chamber (8). On the right-hand wall (i) is the deceased Pharaoh with Maat. The left-hand wall (j) has texts from the Book of the Dead.
Dark blue and gold predominate in the tomb chamber (9). Across the vaulted ceiling 'the goddess Nut is twice represented along its entire length, in a graceful semi-circle with backs touching. This represents the morning and evening skies. Her elongated body curves to touch the earth with finger and toe, head to the west, loins to the east.
The entire chamber is a complex of appropriate texts from the Book of the Dead. For example, on the right-hand wall (k) is a small representation (second row) of the boat of the Sun God, who is represented in the shape of a beetle with a ram's head. The boat is being worshiped by two human-headed birds and the souls of Khepri and Atum (forms of the Sun God). Below this scene (to left and right) are the beheaded condemned and above is a representation of the goddess Nut with upstrctched arms.
In the niche at the rear of the tomb chamber (l) is the barge of the Sun God held aloft in upstretched arms.
The smashed sarcophagus of the Pharaoh and his molested mummy were left onsite by the grave-robbers who violated the tomb.
Egypt: Tomb of Seti I Plan - Valley of the Kings - Part III Largest Tomb
Giovanni Belzoni, who discovered the tomb in 1817, was a circus man who originally came to Egypt to market an irrigation pump he had designed in England. The project fell through but he arranged the transportation of the colossal head of Ramses II from the Ramasseum to the British Museum in London.
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| This is a classical tomb that far surpasses all others in the Valley of the Kings both in size and in the artistic execution of the sculptured walls. Every inch of wall space of its entire 100 meter length is covered with representations which were carried out by the finest craftsmen. |
The second corridor (2), which is staircased, has thirty-seven forms of the Sun God depicted on the upper part of the recesses on both sides. As we descend to the third corridor , Maat, goddess of truth, faces us with outstretched wings above the doorway (r). Isis is represented on the left-hand side (d), and Nephthys (Nebethet) on the right (e), and they both kneel on the hieroglyph for 'gold' and place their hands upon a seal ring. Above them, on each side of the corridor, the jackal-god Anubis can be seen. The wall reliefs here have not been completed but we can see the outlines in black, the master's touch in red, and the accuracy with which the relief is carved from the bottom up wards.Proceeding beneath Maat with her outstretched wings we pass into the third corridor (3), which has dramatic representations of the fifth hour of night from the fifth chapter of the Book of the Dead. Towards the middle of the left-hand wall (f) the sun-boat (damaged) is driven through the netherworld by seven gods and seven goddesses and in front of it march four gods and the goddess Isis. On the right-hand wall (g) the Sun God and his retinue are drawn through a land inhabited by demons and monsters (top and bottom rows) and we see a serpent with three heads, wings and human legs. But the Sun God is safe, drawn by Horus and Thoth (middle row) who carry an eye as a protection against evil. The ceiling is blackened from the candles of the early Christians who hid in the tomb, as it is believed.From the third corridor onwards the quality of the color on the reliefs is superb. We now come to a small ante-chamber (4). The walls, both to left and right, show the Pharaoh between Harmachis and Isis offering wine to Hathor. We now enter a square chamber with four pillars (s) . On the pillars themselves the Pharaoh is shown before the various deities: Isis and Nephthys (Nebethet) the sister-wife and the sister of Osiris, Harbor the goddess of joy and love who was also the goddess of Dendera to whom the cow was sacred, Selket the goddess to whom the scorpion was sacred, Horus the universal Sun God, and Harsiesis and Harmaches who were special forms of Horus; also of course Anubis, the jackal-god of embalming. The walls, especially those at the sides, have marvelous representations of the sun travelling through the fourth region of the underworld. On the rear wall (h) Osiris is enthroned before Hathor while the Pharaoh is led into his presence by the hawk-headed Horus. This is a superb mural with intricate detail and rich color. Near the corner of the left-handwall (i) the four chief races of men known at the time stand before Horus: these are Egyptians, Asiatics with pointed beards and colored aprons, four backs and four Libyans with feathers on their heads and tattooed bodies.The chamber (6), situated to the right and entered via an arrow flight of steps, was never completed. Whether this was because it was discovered that the walls were of inferior material, or as a blind to mislead grave-robbers, is not known, but the sketches on the walls are bold and compelling and show the touch of a master craftsman. The original sketch was done in red. The corrections in black were probably the work of the senior artist , after which the carvers took over. The left-hand wall (j) shows the journey during the ninth hour of the underworld: the sacred cow, ram, bird and human head guarding the procession against the fiery serpents. On the rear-wall (k) is the tenth hour with the hawk joining the protective deities and the spirits carrying arrows and lances. On the right-hand wall (I) is the eleventh hour with the condemned in the lower row. The enemies of the Sun God are being burned under the supervision of the hawk-headed Horus in strange furnaces, whilst fire-breathing goddesses stand watch with swords.
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| (The picture above is for the ceiling of the tomb of Seti I at the Valley of the Kings) |
We descend a few more steps into a small corridor (8) which is decorated with texts of the ceremonies performed before the statue of the deceased Pharaoh in order that he may eat and drink in the hereafter. On the right-hand wall (n) is a list of offerings.
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The picture above is of an unfinished relief work at the tomb of Seti I |
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The picture above is for a scene from burial chamber of Seti I's tomb |
the tomb was discovered. It was made out of a single piece of alabaster, carved to a thickness of two inches and with the exquisite reliefs filled in with blue paste. This magnificent piece is comparable only to the alabaster vase found in Tutankhamun's tomb which is today in the Cairo Museum. The mummy, which was one of those found at Deir el Bahri (Hatshepsut's Temple), is in the same museum. The sarcophagus lies in the Soane Museumin in London. When Belzoni, who was commissioned to transport it, took it to the British Museum, the trustees considered the price set too high and the treasure was without a buyer until 1824 when Sir John Soane paid £2,000 for it. The decorations on the walls of the pillared portion of the hall show the journey through the first region of the underworld on the left entrance-wall (0) and through the fourth region of the underworld on the left-hand wall (p). In a small recess at the end of this wall (q) is a beautiful representation of Anubis performing theopening-of- the-mouth ceremony before Osiris. On the right-hand entrance wall (r) and the right-hand wall (s) are representations of the journey through the second region of the underworld. The vaulted ceiling has been painted with astrological figures. From early times, of course, the Egyptians had mapped out the heavens, identified some of the fixed stars and were able to determine the positions of others. This ceiling is unusual in that it has not been painted in the familiar balanced, repetitive form. Adjoining the tomb chamber are four side-rooms. The first one on the right (11) has the text of a myth that concerns the rebellion of mankind against the Sun God, their punishment and final rescue. On the rear wall is a magnificent relief of the heavenly cow of the myth supported by Shu, the god of the atmosphere,and bearing on its back two boats of the sun.
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| The Tomb of Seti I, Book of the Dead |
The Pharaoh will overcome. With the help of the Sun God the doors of the hereafter are open to him. He will enter with his valuables and possessions; with the ability to eat and drink; and imbued with life so as to reign again. This is his ultimate hope.
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