Pyramid of Tanotamun
The pyramid of Tanotamun is located in the necropolis of el-Kurru , in Nubia , in what is now Sudan . Tanotamun (around 664 to 656 BC) was the last Nubian ruler to rule Egypt . The actual pyramid (Ku 16) is completely demolished today, but the two underground burial chambers are of particular importance because they are painted.
pyramid
The pyramid has now been completely demolished and it is not even possible to determine its former size. In front of the pyramid was a chapel in the east , which was about 4.20 x 3.5 m in size. A surrounding wall had a circumference of 12 × 18 m.
The underground part
From the east a staircase with 34 steps leads down to the antechamber of the tomb. The dromos of the stairs is about 7 m deep. The antechamber is approximately 3 × 3 m and ends in the 6 × 4.15 m large burial chamber. In total, the two chambers and the staircase are approximately 23 m long. The arched antechamber is painted on three walls (only the entrance wall to the east shows no paintings). These are only preserved in the upper half, while the lower part was destroyed by penetrating water. On the south wall Tanotamun is shown between the Horus children Amset and Kebechsenuef . On the north wall you can find Hapi and Duamutef escorting the king to the tomb. On the west wall of the antechamber you can find Isis and Nephthys to the left and right of Tanotamun . In the arched field above the door there is a depiction of the worship of the sun disk.
The burial chamber is painted on only three sides. The east side remained empty, only in the arched area above the door is the adoration of the sun disk again. The north and south walls each show an identical scene. The sleeping Osiris , who is identified with the king, lies on a bed and is brought to life by his son Horus. Left and right are rows of deities who attend the scene. The book of death text 30A can be found on the south wall as an inscription, while the lines of text are left blank on the north wall. On the west wall, in the upper area, there is a depiction of the greeting of the sun by baboons . Below you will find scenes from the Book of the Dead . On the left is the vignette for Book of the Dead, Chapter 27. Tanotamun kneels in front of his heart. Behind the heart there is a ba on a pedestal , behind which there are three standing deities. Below you will find the text of the chapter in 10 columns. On the right side you can find the vignette for Book of the Dead, Chapter 28. Here the ruler is on the right side. In front of him there is another heart on a standard and behind it a deity kneeling on a pedestal. The actual burial chamber was also vaulted and decorated with stars.
literature
- J. Lull: The pyramid of Tanuatamun in El-Kurru . in: Sokar . 19, 2009, pp. 78-85.
Coordinates: 18 ° 24 ′ 36 ″ N , 31 ° 46 ′ 17 ″ E