KV 11

Rameses III

A set of fourteen modern steps leads down from the present valley floor to the top of the ancient divided stairway. At the bottom of this entryway, beneath an overhang, tall recesses in the left (east) and right (west) walls contain two pilasters topped with the carved heads of horned animals.

A step in the floor of the gate continues the descent from the entryway A into corridor B. The gate has compound jambs, a lintel beam slot, and trenches in the floor for door pivots, all of which show that the gate was to be closed by a pair of door leaves. Below the inner end of the overhang, the lintel shows a sun disk containing the scarab and ram-headed forms of Ra, flanked by Isis and Nephthys. The reveals and outer thicknesses bear the names of Rameses III, and kneeling winged Ma'at figures are shown on the inner thicknesses.

The left (east) wall is decorated with three scenes: Rameses III before Ra-Horakhty; the opening scene of the Litany of Ra with a disk containing a scarab and a ram-headed god between a serpent and a crocodile; and the beginning of the texts of the Litany of Ra, which continue on the right (west) wall. Efforts have been made to conserve this remaining decoration. Two gates, which open into small side chambers, stand opposite each other in the center of the side walls.

This gate leads to a small side chamber on the left (east) side of corridor B. The threshold is raised above the floor levels of corridor B and side chamber Ba. A door bolt hole in the thickness of the gate and a pivot hole in the ceiling of side chamber Ba show that the gate was to be closed by a wooden door.

The walls of this side chamber are divided into two registers. The first shows bakers, cooks and butchers, and the second, bakers, brewers and a leather worker. The decoration here has been extensively damaged. A door pivot hole in the ceiling edge to the south of the gate shows that it was closed by a single door leaf.

The east wall of this side chamber contains the Litany of Ra and the three remaining walls show sailing boats in two registers. Much of the decoration has been lost. A door pivot hole in the ceiling edge north of the gate shows that the entry was to be closed by a single door leaf.

This gate leads to a small side chamber on the right (west) side of corridor B. A door bolt hole in the left (south) thickness of the gate, as well as a pivot hole in the ceiling of side chamber Bb show that it was to be closed by a wooden door. The threshold is higher than the floor levels of chamber B and side chamber Bb.

Two door pivot holes at the inner edge of the outer soffit show that the gate was to be closed by double wooden doors. The lintel of gate C is decorated with a winged disk, the reveals bear the names of Rameses III, and the thicknesses contain the Litany of Ra.

Low rectangular recesses are set close to the ceiling at the north end of th east and west side walls. Four gates in each wall open into side chambers. The walls of the corridor are decorated with the Litany of Ra, with scenes from the Book of the Dead, spell 151: an Anubis jackal and Isis on the east wall, and an Anubis jackal and Nephthys on the west. On the ceiling, a sun disk containing a ram-headed hawk is flanked by Isis and Nephthys depicted as hawks, with texts from the Litany of Ra in a central band flanked by star patterns.

This is the first gate beyond the entrance in the eastern wall of corridor C. It was cut beneath the eastern rectangular recess, and the thicknesses of the gate contain portions of the Litany of Ra. There is a door bolt hole in the north thickness and a pivot hole in the ceiling of chamber Ca to the south of the gate, showing that it was to be closed by a single door leaf. The threshold is higher than the level of the floors in chambers C and Ca.

The decoration in this side chamber is in two registers showing personifications of the Nile flood offering to personifications of food and harvest. Below, Nile gods offer to cobras dressed in robes. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost. A door pivot hole in the ceiling edge to the south of the gate is evidence that a single door leaf was to close the entrance.

This gate lies in the eastern wall of corridor C. The threshold is higher than the floor levels of chambers C and Cb. A door bolt hole in the north thickness, together with the door pivot hole in chamber Cb, show that a single door leaf was to close this gate.

The east wall of this side chamber contains texts while the side and rear walls are each divided into two registers that show a procession of Nile gods, nome divinities above kneeling personifications of the Nile god. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost. A door pivot in the ceiling south of the gate shows that a single door leaf was to close the entry.

This is the third gate from the entrance in the eastern wall of corridor C. There is a door bolt hole in the north thickness that has been plastered over, indicating that provision was made to close this gate with a single door leaf.

The west wall of this side chamber shows the royal ka holding a standard on each side of the doorway. The remaining three walls are divided into two registers that show a bull, sacred cows, and sacred oars illustrating Book of the Dead spell 148. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost. A door pivot hole in the ceiling edge south of the gate shows that the entrance was to be closed by a single door leaf.

This is the fourth gate from the entrance in the east wall of corridor C. There is a rectangular door bolt hole in the north thickness showing that the gate was to be closed by a single door leaf.

The wall decoration in this side chamber gives the names of Rameses III with a harpist before Onuris-Shu and Ra-Horakhty on the northern half, and a harpist before Shu and Atum on the southern half. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost. A door pivot hole in the ceiling edge south of the gate shows that the entry was to be closed by a single door leaf.

This is the fourth gate from the entrance in the western wall of corridor C. There is a door bolt hole in the south thickness showing that the gate was to be closed by a single door leaf.

All four walls of this side chamber show twelve figures of Osiris in a seated position. Much of the decoration has been lost. A door pivot hole at the ceiling edge north of the gate shows that the gate was to be closed by a single door leaf.

This is the third gate from the entrance in the western wall of corridor C. A door bolt hole in the south thickness indicates that the gate was to be closed by a single door leaf.

The decoration in this side chamber consists of the Fields of Iaru depicted in three registers derived from Book of the Dead spell 110. The south wall shows Rameses III kneeling before seven squatting divinities in the first register, reapers in the second register, and sowers and plowers with cows in the third register. The north wall shows a man with two adzes and a hawk on a shrine. The west wall shows a man in a canoe and a Benu-bird in the first register. Much of the decoration has been lost. A door pivot at the edge of the ceiling north of the gate indicates that the entry was to be closed by a single door leaf.

This is the second gate from the entrance in the western wall of corridor C. A door bolt hole in the south thickness indicates that the gate was to be closed by a single door leaf.

The front (east) wall is decorated with beds on the right (south) half, and with ewers, basins and vases on the left (north) half. A leopard skin, other animal skins, sledges, boxes, and baskets are shown on the left (south) wall, and vases and chairs on the right (north) wall. The rear (west) wall is decorated with throwsticks, bows, vases and shields. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost, but what remains has retained its vivid colors. A door pivot hole at the edge of the ceiling north of the gate indicates a single door leaf was to close the entry.

This is the first gate from the entrance in the right (west) wall of corridor C. A door bolt hole in the left (south) thickness is evidence of a single door leaf.

The front (east) wall of this side chamber is decorated with a bull and pool on each side of the doorway. Divine standards and weapons decorate the right (north) wall, and divine standards decorate the left (south) wall. The rear (west) wall shows weapons and corsets. Much of the decoration in the chamber has been lost. A door pivot hole at the ceiling edge north of the gate indicates that a single door leaf was to close the entry.

On the lintel of gate D1 is a winged sun disk, and on the reveals are the names of Rameses III. There is a step down between the outer and inner thicknesses. A door pivot hole beyond the left (east) outer thickness and a door bolt hole in the right (west) inner thickness show the intention to close the gate with a single door leaf.

Chamber D1 is a combination of the front (north) part of the intended corridor D, which was abandoned when it broke into side chamber Fa of KV 10, and the cutting to the left (west), made to shift the axis westwards away from KV 10. The left (west) wall shows two scenes: Rameses III offering incense to Atum, and Rameses III receiving the Heb-Sed Festival symbol from Ptah. The Upper Egyptian goddess Meret is shown with a libation-vase on the rear (south) wall. Although heavily damaged, the inscription in front of the goddess Meret attests to the strong connection of the tomb with the sanctuary at Heliopolis. Rameses III offers incense and libation to Ptah-Sokar and a winged Isis on the front wall. The right wall shows two scenes: Rameses III offering Ma'at to Osiris, and offering libation to Anubis.

When cutting corridor D1a, the tomb cutters broke through the ceiling of the side chamber Fa in KV 10. The walls of this abandoned cutting are undecorated. The floor ascends in three stepped levels.

This gate in the rear (south) wall of D1 lies near the southwest corner of the chamber. A slot for a wooden beam to hold door pivots in the soffit and two grooves in the floor beyond the threshold indicate provision for a pair of wooden door leaves. On the lintel of the gate is a winged sun disk, and on the reveals are the names of Rameses III.

This represents the completed extension of corridor D after its axis was shifted to the west. The floor slopes up slightly from front to back and the axis is not parallel to that of the preceding corridors, but bends to the west. The ceiling height is increases one-third of the way into the corridor, perhaps due to the rising floor level. The left (east) and right (west) walls are decorated with the fourth and fifth hours of the Imydwat.

On the lintel of gate E is a winged sun disk, and on the reveals and outer thicknesses are the names of Rameses III. The inner thickness of the compound jamb show a human-headed Hathor on the left (east) and a unique cow-headed Hathor on the right (west). A step creates a descent from corridor D2 to well chamber E.

The chamber contains a well shaft which has been only partially cleared. The left (east) half of the chamber is decorated with Osiris, Imsety, Anubis, Duamutef, Isis, and Iwnmutef. The right (west) half shows Osiris, Hapy, Qebehsenuef, Nephthys, Serqet, and Iwnmutef.

The inner thicknesses of this gate show a djed-pillar on the left (east) and Osiris on the right (west). The gate contains a compound jamb, a step and two door pivot holes which show that double wooden doors were to close the gate.

Two pillars stand on each side of a center descent. The center of the right (west) wall contains a gate opening into a large side chamber. The left (east) half of the chamber is decorated in three registers, showing the fourth division (P)/fifth hour (H) of the Book of Gates.

The fifth division(P)/sixth hour (H) is on the right half. There is a double scene in the center of the rear (south) wall showing the king offering to Osiris. Scenes on the pillars show Rameses III offering to Ma'at, Ptah, Ra-Horakhty, Thoth, Geb, Kheperi, Atum, and Nefertem. There are two Hieratic graffiti on pillar 4 recording Dynasty 21 activity involved in the reburial of the king. Another on the right wall names the God's Father, Hori.

The walls of the sloped descent show two winged cobras representing Nekhbet on the left (east) and Wadjet on the right (west), together with Anubis jackals and text of Rameses III.

This gate lies in the right (west) wall of chamber F and leads to a side chamber. The single door pivot hole and compound jamb show that a wooden door was to close the gate. The inner thicknesses of this gate show Neit on the left (south) and Serqet on the right (north).

The front (east) wall of this side chamber shows Rameses III led by Thoth and Horus on the right (south) half, and Rameses III offering an image of Ma'at to Osiris on the left (north) half. The side and rear walls are decorated with the sixth division (P)/seventh hour (H) of the Book of Gates.

The names of Rameses III appear on the reveals. The left (east) thickness depicts Horus performing the Opening of the Mouth ritual and the right (west) thickness shows a goddess with two vases.

The side walls of this corridor are decorated with the Opening of the Mouth ritual. Beam holes in the side walls in front of gate H once held the beam used for maneuvering the sarcophagus into the burial chamber.

On the reveals of gate H are the names of Rameses III, and on the thicknesses are Neit and Serqet.

The walls of chamber H are decorated with 20 different male and female deities holding scepters in shrines, with small offering tables placed in front of them. All the figures face in the direction of the sarcophagus chamber. The names of these deities are preserved, mainly thanks to the notes of Champollion, Lefèbure, and Wilkinson. This chamber has been only partially excavated. It has suffered a loss of decoration and structural damage.

On the right (west) reveal of gate I are dedication texts, and on the right thickness the names of Rameses III, and a representation of Isis. The floor of the gate is only partially excavated.

The east wall scene in this partially excavated chamber was decorated with a depiction of the Hall of Double Ma'at. The opposing west wall shows Rameses III being lead by different deities, including Imsety, Ima, Horus, Thoth, Anubis, and Atum. The north and south walls were decorated with four groups of protective deities or 'demons' flanking the doorways. Several of these 'demons' are holding snakes or lizards and are seated upon cube-shaped thrones. The east half of the south wall specifically shows a group of three squatting 'demons' having, respectively, an antelope's head, a tortoise in place of the head, and a crocodile head. Four groups of these same 'demons' are also depicted in the four corners of the sarcophagus chamber. The chamber has suffered from loss of decoration and structural damage.

Gate J has a compound jamb, on the reveals of which are the names of Rameses III, and on the thicknesses of which are protective deities including a lion and jackal on the left (east) and Hery-Ma'at and lion-headed god on the right (west). The floor of the gate is only partially excavated.

The vaulted section of this unexcavated burial chamber lies at a right angle to the axis of the tomb. Four pillars stand on platforms to the front (north) and rear (south) of the sunken central section. There are narrow benches topped with a cavetto cornice against the walls at the left (east) and right (west) ends of the central section, and a recess in the center of the wall just above each shelf. A stepped ramp descends from each platform to the sunken floor between each central pair of pillars and a cavetto cornice runs along the upper edge of each platform. At each corner of the chamber, a gate opens into a small side chamber. The walls are decorated with the Book of the Dead, Book of Gates, and Book of the Earth. The pillars show Rameses III making offerings to Atum, Thoth, Ra-Horakhty, Horus, Osiris-Wennefer, Soped, Anubis, Ptah-Tatjenen, Geb, Ra, Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, Shu, and Onuris. The chamber has suffered a loss of decoration and structural damage, particularly breakage of the pillars and collapse of the flat sections of the ceiling.