KV8

KV8 tomb of Merenptah
place	Valley of the Kings
Discovery date	in ancient times
excavation	Howard Carter

Previous
KV7

The following
KV9

KV8

Valley of the Kings
(Eastern Valley)

Isometric representation, floor plan and sectional drawing of the tomb

The tomb KV8 is the burial place of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Merenptah of the 19th dynasty . The corridor of the tomb is about 160 m long and contains elements that did not appear in earlier tombs, such as the relief of the sun god Re at the entrance. At the end of the corridor is the burial chamber.

Decorations

The stone sarcophagus of Merenptah

The tomb contains numerous wall paintings, such as the scene images of the Litany of Re , the Book of the Portals , the Amduat and the Book of the Caves, first documented under Merenptah . There were also pictures of the mouth opening ceremony .

Despite the numerous floods in the Valley of the Kings, the decorations preserved are among the best of the tombs. Many decorations in the front areas of the tomb (except those on the ceiling and the upper parts of the walls) have been lost to the water. Since there were no locked chambers, the archaeologists are sure that someone must have gained access to the tomb beforehand.

literature

Jan Assmann : The inscription on the outer sarcophagus lid of Merenptah. In: Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologische Institut, Kairo Department (MDAIK) No. 28 , 1972, pp. 47–73 ( online ).

Howard Carter : Report of Work Done in Upper Egypt (1903-1094). In: Annales du service des antiquités de l'Égypte (ASAE) No. 6 , 1906, pp. 116–119.

Alberto Siliotti: Valley of the Kings: the most famous necropolis in the world. K. Müller, Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-89893-560-4 .

Nicholas Reeves , Richard H. Wilkinson : The Valley of the Kings. Mysterious realm of the dead of the pharaohs. Bechtermünz, Augsburg 2000, ISBN 3-8289-0739-3 , pp. 147-149.