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A project of the American Research Center in Egypt
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Sety I with two forms of Hathor, and Carter's repairs in brick of damaged walls; stairs leading in the direction of tomb entrance.
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Entryway A

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Modern steps and a landing with benches precede twenty-six ancient steps leading to the beginning of corridor B. Modern retaining walls surround the entryway.

Architectural Features

Overhang
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Width:

    2.71 m
  • Length:

    15.81 m
  • Area:

    44.49 m2
  • Orientation:

    218.68°

Gate B

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There is a column of text on the left (southeast) return giving the king's names and epithets.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor A

Architectural Features

Door pivot holes

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.48 m
  • Width:

    2.07 m
  • Length:

    1 m
  • Area:

    2.06 m2
  • Volume:

    5.4 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from entryway A

Decoration

  • Names and epithets

    left (Southeast) return

Corridor B

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This sloping corridor is decorated in raised relief. The left (southeast) wall shows Sety I before Ra-Horakhty, followed by the opening scene of the Litany of Ra and the opening text of this composition. The opening scene of the Litany appears for the first time in a royal tomb. The right (northwest) wall continues the text of the Litany of Ra and the ceiling is decorated with vultures, every other one cobra-headed. These alternate with texts giving the names of Sety I, and columns of texts run along the edges of the ceiling. A pair of holes for a wooden beam were cut in the walls toward the rear (southwest) end of this corridor. The right (northwest) hole was filled with plaster over which the columns of text were carved.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor A

Architectural Features

Beam holes

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.58 m
  • Width:

    2.62 m
  • Length:

    10.61 m
  • Area:

    27.79 m2
  • Volume:

    70.93 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from entryway A

Decoration

  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty, under winged cobra left (Southeast) wall
  • Litany of Ra

    left (Southeast) wall
  • Litany of Ra

    right (Northwest) wall
  • Flying vultures

    Ceiling
  • Names and epithets

    Ceiling

Graffiti

  • Modern European language text:

    names in area of Litany of Ra opening scene left (Southeast) wall

Gate C

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The outer lintel is decorated with a winged sun disk. The reveals and thicknesses are covered with texts of the Litany of Ra.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor B

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.38 m
  • Width:

    2.1 m
  • Length:

    1.08 m
  • Area:

    2.26 m2
  • Volume:

    5.37 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor B

Decoration

  • Winged sun disk

    Lintel
  • Litany of Ra

    Reveals
  • Litany of Ra

    left (Southeast) thickness
  • Litany of Ra

    right (Northwest) thickness

Stairwell C

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The steps descend at a steep thirty degree angle. Trapezoidal recesses are cut at the tops of the walls. Both walls at the top of the stairwell are decorated with the various manifestations of Ra from the Litany of Ra, both in the recesses and for almost the full length of the stairwell. Almost identical versions of the third hour of the Imydwat cover the left (southeast) and right (northwest) walls for the rest of the corridor, but these were left unfinished with only a part of the text carved in relief and the remainder simply drawn in outline. At the end of this corridor, on both walls is a drawing of Anubis. Under him on the southeast wall is Isis. She is replaced by Nephthys on the northwest wall. The ceiling is painted with a continuation of the Litany of Ra. A kneeling figure of Ma'at with outspread wings, flanked by cartouches of Sety I, decorated the vertical face of the overhang near the rear of this stairwell's ceiling.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor B

Architectural Features

Overhang
Recesses
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration unfinished
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.81 m Irregular
  • Width:

    2.6 m
  • Length:

    7.72 m
  • Area:

    19.97 m2
  • Volume:

    63.15 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor B

Decoration

  • Litany of Ra

    seventy-five forms of Ra left (Southeast) recess
  • Book of the Dead

    spell 151 left (Southeast) wall
  • Litany of Ra

    right (Northwest) wall
  • Book of the Dead

    spell 151 right (Northwest) wall
  • Litany of Ra

    Ceiling
  • Winged Ma'at figures

  • Imydwat

    third hour left (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    third hour right (Northwest) wall
  • Names and epithets

Gate D

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Two kneeling figures of winged goddesses flank the cartouches of Sety I on the lintel, and the kings' names and titles appear on the outer faces of the reveals. On the right thickness are traces of two baboons, perhaps from the beginning of the upper register of the third hour of the Imydwat.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor C

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.4 m
  • Width:

    2.07 m
  • Length:

    0.96 m
  • Area:

    1.98 m2
  • Volume:

    4.75 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell C

Decoration

  • Deities

    winged goddesses Lintel
  • Names and epithets

    Reveals
  • Deities

    possibly third hour of Imydwat (upper register?) right (Northwest) thickness
  • Names and epithets

    cartouches Lintel
  • Imydwat

    third hour returns

Corridor D

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This sloping corridor is decorated with the fourth and fifth hours of the Imydwat on the right (northwest) and left (southeast) walls, respectively. Near the lower ends of these walls are outlines in black for what in later tombs are a pair of rectangular recesses.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor C

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.78 m
  • Width:

    2.61 m
  • Length:

    9.09 m
  • Area:

    23.65 m2
  • Volume:

    62.56 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell C

Decoration

  • Imydwat

    fourth hour right (Northwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    fifth hour left (Southeast) wall

Gate E

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The outer lintel is decorated with a winged sun disk and the reveals with the names of Sety I.

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall D

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.39 m
  • Width:

    2.08 m
  • Length:

    1.1 m
  • Area:

    2.28 m2
  • Volume:

    5.43 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor D

Decoration

  • Winged sun disk

    Outer lintel
  • Names and epithets

    Reveals

Well chamber E

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A shaft has been cut through the floor of this chamber. The five scenes on the left (southeast) side of the chamber show jackal-headed Anubis, Sety I being led by Horus to Isis, the king offering wine to Hathor, the king before Osiris, and finally the Western Goddess. On the right (northwest) side, the king is shown led by Horus to Hathor and to Isis, offering wine to Hathor, before Osiris, and there are also depictions of Osiris seated, and Anubis and Horus. The ceiling is painted with yellow stars on a blue background. It cannot be determined if the widening of the bottom of the shaft was intentional. The shaft has not yet been fully cleared.

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall D

Architectural Features

Well shaft

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.46 m
  • Width:

    4.17 m
  • Length:

    3.65 m
  • Area:

    15.17 m2
  • Volume:

    37.32 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor D

Decoration

  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis, Isis, Horus, Hathor, Osiris, Western goddess left (Southeast) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Horus, Hathor, Isis, Osiris, Anubis right (Northwest) wall
  • Star pattern

    Ceiling

Gate F

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The gate is undecorated.

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall E

Architectural Features

Steps

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.25 m
  • Width:

    2.1 m
  • Length:

    1.04 m
  • Area:

    2.2 m2
  • Volume:

    5.23 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E

Pillared chamber F

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This is a roughly square chamber with two rows of two pillars flanking the central axis. From the descent, the central tomb axis is displaced to the left (southeast). The left (southeast) side of the chamber is divided into three registers decorated with the fourth division (P)/fifth hour (H) of the Book of Gates. One scene represents the four "races" of mankind, for the first time in this composition differentiated by their physical characteristics. The right (northwest) side of the chamber is similarly divided into three registers and is decorated with the fifth division (P)/sixth hour (H) of the Book of Gates. On the rear (southwest) wall, the king is presented to Osiris and Hathor by Horus.

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall E

Architectural Features

Pillars
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.16 m
  • Width:

    7.95 m
  • Length:

    8.43 m
  • Area:

    66.75 m2
  • Volume:

    207.84 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E
  • Number of pillars:

    4
  • Average pillar width:

    0.99 m

Decoration

  • Book of Gates

    fourth division (P)/fifth hour (H) left (Southeast) wall
  • Book of Gates

    fifth division (P)/sixth hour (H) right (Northwest) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Horus, Osiris, Hathor rear (Southeast) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Ptah front (Northeast) pillar 1
  • Star pattern

    Ceiling
  • Deceased with deities

    Horus left (Southeast) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis rear (Southwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor as Western Goddess right (Northwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty front (Northeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Shu left (Southeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Serqet rear (Southwest) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Isis right (Northwest) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    undetermined (due to damage) front (Northeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor left (Southeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Horus rear (Southwest)
  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis right (Northwest)
  • Deceased with deities

    Atum front (Northeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Nephthys left (Southeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Neit rear (Southwest)
  • Deceased with deities

    Ptah-Sokar right (Northwest)
  • Book of Gates

    fourth and fifth divisions (P)/fifth and sixth hours (H) front (Northeast) wall
  • Kheker frieze

Descent F

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The descent is situated to the rear in the southern corner of pillared chamber F.

Porter and Moss designation:

Descent to Corridor G

Architectural Features

Steps
Overhang

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.25 m
  • Width:

    2.44 m
  • Length:

    4.98 m
  • Area:

    12.24 m2
  • Orientation:

    0° from pillared chamber F

Gate Fa

See entire tomb

The outer thicknesses are decorated with texts and figures from the fifth division (P)/sixth hour (H) of the Book of Gates. On the inner thicknesses are texts from the beginning of the ninth and eleventh hours of the Imydwat.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room F

Architectural Features

Steps
Compound jambs

Condition

Excavated
Decorated
Cutting finished

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.34 m
  • Width:

    1.57 m
  • Length:

    0.99 m
  • Area:

    1.68 m2
  • Volume:

    4 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from pillared chamber F

Decoration

  • Book of Gates

    fifth division (P)/sixth hour (H) left (Southeast) outer thickness
  • Imydwat

    ninth hour beginning text left (Southeast) inner thickness
  • Book of Gates

    fifth division (P)/sixth hour (H) right (Northwest) outer thickness
  • Imydwat

    eleventh hour beginning text right (Northwest) inner thickness

Side chamber Fa

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The floor of side chamber Fa is several steps lower than pillared chamber F and has two pillars. On the left (southeast) wall and the left (northwest) part of the front (northeast) wall is the ninth hour of the Imydwat. The tenth and eleventh hours cover the right (southeast) part of the front wall, the right (northwest) wall, and the rear (southwest) wall. All the decoration is drawn in black outline only. There is a break in the bottom of the left wall into corridor G. On the pillars, the king is shown with several deities.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room F

Architectural Features

Pillars
Recesses
Steps

Condition

Cutting unfinished
Damaged structurally
Decoration unfinished
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.67 m
  • Width:

    7.86 m
  • Length:

    8.62 m
  • Area:

    67.62 m2
  • Volume:

    246.96 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from pillared chamber F
  • Number of pillars:

    2
  • Average pillar width:

    1.18 m

Decoration

  • Imydwat

    beginning of ninth hour (right side), eleventh hour (left side) front (Northeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    ninth hour left (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    tenth hour rear (Southwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    tenth hour, eleventh hour right (Northwest) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Nefertem front (Northeast) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty left (Southeast) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Ma'at rear (Southwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Atum right (Northwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Ma'at front (Northeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris left (Southeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor rear (Southwest) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Sokar-Osiris right (Northwest) pillar 2

Gate G

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The top of this gate is damaged. On the thicknesses, Hathor holds a menat necklace up to the king. These reliefs were removed by Champollion and Rosellini and are now in the Louvre and Florence.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor G

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Damaged structurally

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.7 m
  • Width:

    2.09 m
  • Length:

    1.05 m
  • Area:

    2.2 m2
  • Volume:

    5.95 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from pillared chamber F

Decoration

  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor (now in Louvre, Paris, B.7) left (Southeast) thickness
  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor and Sety I (now in Florence, no. 2468) right (Northwest) thickness

Corridor G

See entire tomb

The continuation of the tomb bends slightly right (northwest) of the previous tomb axis. The walls are decorated with texts and scenes from the Opening of the Mouth ritual. There are many instances where vandals have cut out the king's cartouches, texts and figures.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor G

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.64 m
  • Width:

    2.62 m
  • Length:

    8.94 m
  • Area:

    23.4 m2
  • Volume:

    61.78 m3
  • Orientation:

    0.6° right from pillared chamber F

Decoration

  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    opening scene, scenes 1-13 left (Southeast) wall
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scenes 46-48, 50, 55, 57 right (Northwest) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    left (Southeast) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    right (Northwest) wall

Gate H

See entire tomb

Scenes from the Opening of the Mouth ritual are represented on the jambs.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor H

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.34 m
  • Width:

    2.09 m
  • Length:

    1.04 m
  • Area:

    2.17 m2
  • Volume:

    5.08 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor G

Decoration

  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scene 14 left (Southeast) reveal
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scenes 15-16 left (Southeast) thickness
  • Winged sun disk

    Lintel
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scene 17 left (Southeast) return
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scenes 36, 42-44 right (Northwest) thickness
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scene 45 right (Northwest) reveal

Corridor H

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Five steps lead into corridor H. The upper part of the side walls were cut back to form a recess along each side. In these recesses are scenes from the Opening of the Mouth ritual. Below them, decoration on both walls is dominated by part of the Litany of the Eye of Horus, a composition originally derived from the Pyramid Texts. The ceiling is decorated with yellow stars on a blue background. Again, vandals have been at work here, cutting out texts, figures, and cartouches.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor H

Architectural Features

Recesses
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.7 m
  • Width:

    2.63 m
  • Length:

    5.28 m
  • Area:

    13.81 m2
  • Volume:

    35.91 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor G

Decoration

  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scenes 18-26 left (Southeast) wall
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    scenes 27-35 right (Northwest) wall
  • Star pattern

    Ceiling
  • Litany of the Eye of Horus

    left (Southeast) wall
  • Litany of the Eye of Horus

    right (Northwest) wall

Gate I

See entire tomb

A winged disk decorates the outer lintel, and the reveals are decorated with the king's names. There are two cobras on the thicknesses, one representing Nekhbet (on the southeast) and Wadjet (on the northwest).

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor I

Architectural Features

Compound jambs
Door pivot holes

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.09 m
  • Width:

    2.07 m
  • Length:

    1.05 m
  • Area:

    2.29 m2
  • Volume:

    4.48 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor H

Decoration

  • Winged sun disk

    Lintel
  • Names and epithets

    Reveals
  • Deities

    Nekhbet as cobra over heraldic plants of Upper Egypt left (Southeast) inner thickness
  • Deities

    Wadjet as cobra over heraldic plants of Lower Egypt right (Northwest) inner thickness
  • Deities

    Ma'at left (Southeast) outer thickness
  • Deities

    Ma'at right (Northwest) outer thickness

Chamber I

See entire tomb

Squeezes taken of scenes in this chamber in the nineteenth century caused considerable loss of color. The king is shown with various deities. The ceiling is painted with stars.

Porter and Moss designation:

Corridor I

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.53 m
  • Width:

    4.16 m
  • Length:

    2.25 m
  • Area:

    21.84 m2
  • Volume:

    54.46 m3
  • Orientation:

    2.17° left from corridor H

Decoration

  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis, Isis, Horus, Hathor, Osiris-Wennefer left (Southeast) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis, Isis, Horus, Hathor, Osiris-Wennefer right (Northwest) wall
  • Star pattern

    Ceiling
  • Deceased with deities

    Hathor (two forms), Horus front (Northeast) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Ptah, Nefertem rear (Southwest) wall
  • Amuletic representations

    tyet-knot rear (Southwest) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    All walls

Graffiti

  • Modern European language text:

    Ceiling

Gate J

See entire tomb

On the outer lintel is a winged sun disk. The thicknesses were decorated with the cobra goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet.

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall J, Hall K

Architectural Features

Compound jambs
Door pivot holes

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.33 m
  • Width:

    2.08 m
  • Length:

    1.04 m
  • Area:

    2.28 m2
  • Volume:

    5.16 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from chamber I

Decoration

  • Winged sun disk

    Outer lintel
  • Deities

    Nekhbet as cobra with heraldic plants of Upper Egypt (southeast) left (Southeast) inner thickness
  • Deities

    Ma'at left (Southeast) outer thickness
  • Deities

    Ma'at right (Northwest) outer thickness
  • Deities

    Wadjet as cobra with heraldic plants of Lower Egypt right (Southeast) inner thickness
  • Star pattern

    soffit

Burial chamber J

See entire tomb

The burial chamber J is divided into two parts. An initial raised section contains two rows of three pillars arranged along the central axis. Two subsidiary chambers (Ja, Je) lead off from the left (southeast) and right (northwest) walls of this pillared section. Three stepped descents on either side and between the last pair of pillars (3 and 6) lead to the sunken rear part of the burial chamber which has a vaulted ceiling. A rectangular pit is situated at the northwest end of the chamber, giving access to the beginning of corridor K. Gates in the left and right walls lead to subsidiary chambers (Jb) and (Jd), respectively, and a gate at the left (southeast) end of the right wall leads to side chamber Jc. Recesses are located at floor level in the left and right walls, and there are pairs of magical brick niches higher up in these walls.

The walls of the sunken end of the chamber are covered with three hours from the Imydwat, and the walls of the preceding pillared area are decorated with the first, second and fourth divisions (P)/second, third and fifth hours (H) of the Book of Gates. Large winged kneeling figures of Isis and Nephthys are located at the tops of the left and right walls respectively below the vault of the ceiling. On the ceiling itself are astronomical figures. Pillar 2 has suffered structural damage. The face of its mirroring pillar, pillar 5, across the central axis, was removed by Lepsius. On the remaining pillar faces are representations of deities and compositions of the king before various deities. To the southeast there is a recess which served as a small shrine, perhaps for the canopic chest. Its decoration shows the four sons of Horus on the left (northeast) wall, Osiris on the rear (southeast) wall, and Anubis opening the mouth of Osiris, on the right (southwest) wall.

  • Chamber plan:

    Rectangular
  • Relationship to main tomb axis:

    Parallel
  • Chamber layout:

    Pillared front upper level, sunken rear lower level
  • Floor:

    Two levels
  • Ceiling:

    Vaulted

Porter and Moss designation:

Hall J, Hall K

Architectural Features

Magical brick niches
Pillars
Ramp
Recesses
Sarcophagus emplacement
Steps
Vaulted ceiling

Condition

Cutting finished
Damaged structurally
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    6.05 m
  • Width:

    8.38 m
  • Length:

    14.26 m
  • Area:

    126.55 m2
  • Volume:

    503 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from chamber I
  • Number of pillars:

    6
  • Average pillar width:

    1.04 m

Decoration

  • Book of Gates

    first division (P)/second hour (H) (left side), second division (P)/third hour (H) (right side) front (Northeast) wall
  • Book of Gates

    first and fourth divisions (P)/second and fifth hours (H) left (Southeast) wall
  • Book of Gates

    second division (P)/third hour (H) right (Northwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    first hour left (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    second hour rear (Southwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    third hour right (Northwest) wall
  • Deities

    Isis left (Southeast) wall
  • Deities

    Nephthys right (Northwest) wall
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    Iwnmutef priest front (Northeast) pillar 1
  • Astronomical scenes

    Ceiling
  • Deceased with deities

    Ptah-Sokar left (Southeast) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Geb rear (Southwest) pillar 1
  • Deities

    Soul of Pe right (Northwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris front (Northeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis left (Southeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Kheperi rear (Southwest) pillar 2
  • Deities

    Soul of Pe right (Northwest) pillar 2
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris front (Northeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Thoth left (Southeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Horus rear (Southwest)
  • Deities

    Soul of Pe right (Northwest)
  • Text

    front (Northeast)
  • Deities

    Soul of Nekhen left (Southeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Shu rear (Southwest)
  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty right (Northwest)
  • Text

    trace front (Northeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty front (Northeast)
  • Deities

    Soul of Nekhen left (Southeast)
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris rear (Southwest)
  • Deceased with deities

    Anubis right (Northwest)
  • Opening of the Mouth ritual

    Anubis opening mouth of Osiris, accompanied by four sons of Horus left (Southeast) recess
  • Kheker frieze

  • Deceased with deities

    Ra-Horakhty left (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    abridged version Ceiling
  • Imydwat

    abridged version left (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    abridged version right (Northwest) wall
  • Winged Ma'at figures

    kneeling front (Northeast) wall
  • Names and epithets

    cartouches front (Northeast) wall

Sarcophagus

  • Extant remains:

    Box and lid
  • Sarcophagus form:

    Mummiform
  • Material:

    Calcite
  • Length:

    2.85 m
  • Width:

    1.12 m
  • Height:

    1.19 m
  • Orientation:

    northwest
  • Emplacement:

    Floor
  • Comments:

    The sarcophagus was found lying across the pit at the rear of the sunken floor that gives access to corridor K. The box is intact but the lid is shattered. Belzoni removed the sarcophagus and it is now in Sir John Soane's Museum, London, except for some lid fragments in the British Museum and elsewhere.
  • Decoration:

  • Book of Gates:
    Box interior
  • Deities:
    Nut Box interior
  • Book of the Dead:
    Lid interior
  • Deities:
    Lid interior

Gate Ja

See entire tomb

On the thicknesses of the gate the king and his ka offer ointment.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room L

Condition

Excavated
Decorated
Cutting finished
Decoration damaged

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.96 m
  • Width:

    0.78 m
  • Length:

    0.77 m
  • Area:

    0.6 m2
  • Volume:

    1.18 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.43° left from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Deceased

    Rameses VII and his ka offering ointment left (Northeast) thickness
  • Deceased

    Rameses VII and his ka offering ointment right (Southwest) thickness

Side chamber Ja

See entire tomb

The walls of this subsidiary chamber off the left (southeast) wall of the upper chamber of the burial chamber are decorated with the third division (P)/fourth hour (H) of the Book of Gates.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room L

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.11 m
  • Width:

    3.15 m
  • Length:

    2.64 m
  • Area:

    8.33 m2
  • Volume:

    17.58 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.43° left from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Book of Gates

    third division (P)/fourth hour (H) All walls

Graffiti

  • Modern European language text:

    "PT NY USA 1870" (in paint) rear (Southeast) wall

Gate Jb

See entire tomb

The inner thicknesses bear representations of Nekhbet and Wadjet as cobras over the plants of Upper and Lower Egypt. The outer thicknesses, which have been partly cut away, had representations of the goddess Hathor.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room N

Architectural Features

Compound jambs
Door pivot holes

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated
Damaged structurally

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.1 m
  • Width:

    1.01 m
  • Length:

    0.91 m
  • Area:

    1 m2
  • Volume:

    2.1 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.88° left from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Deities

    Ma'at left (Northeast) outer thickness
  • Names and epithets

    Lintel
  • Deities

    Hathor right (Southwest) outer thickness
  • Deities

    Wadjet as cobra left (Northeast) inner thickness
  • Deities

    Nekhbet as cobra right (Southwest) inner thickness

Side chamber Jb

See entire tomb

Chamber Jb has two pillars and wide benches midway up the left (northeast), right (southwest) and rear (southeast) walls. There are four shallow recesses in each of the vertical faces below decorated with depictions of funerary objects, such as animal-headed beds, chests, and shrines. The walls above the benches are decorated with the sixth, seventh and eighth hours of the Imydwat. Depictions of Osiris are found on the pillars, although the front (northwest) faces have been damaged. The left (northwest) end of the left bench has also been broken. A recess has been cut in the left (southeast) end of the right wall above the bench. A panel above the gate gives the king's names protected by Wadjet and Nekhbet and a dado pattern of pairs of djed pillars and tyet knots is located on the front (northwest) wall.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room N

Architectural Features

Benches
Pillars
Recesses

Condition

Cutting finished
Damaged structurally
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3 m
  • Width:

    7.91 m
  • Length:

    8.06 m
  • Area:

    63.67 m2
  • Volume:

    183.66 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.88° left from burial chamber J
  • Number of pillars:

    2
  • Average pillar width:

    0.99 m

Decoration

  • Names and epithets

    above gate front (Northwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    sixth hour (left of gate), seventh hour (right of gate) front (Northwest) wall
  • Imydwat

    seventh hour left (Northeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    end of sixth hour, seventh hour rear (Southeast) wall
  • Imydwat

    sixth hour right (Southwest) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris left (Northeast) pillar 1
  • Funerary objects

    rear (Southeast) bench
  • Funerary objects

    left (Northeast) bench
  • Funerary objects

    right (Southwest) bench
  • Deceased

    Sety I as Osiris rear (Southeast) pillar 2
  • Deities

    Osiris between imyut emblems right (Southwest) pillar 1
  • Deceased

    front (Northwest) pillar 2
  • Deities

    Osiris between imyut emblems left (Northeast) pillar 2
  • Deceased

    Sety I as Osiris rear (Southeast) pillar 1
  • Deceased with deities

    Sety I with anthropomorphized djed-pillar right (Southwest) pillar 2
  • Kheker frieze

  • Deities

    Nekhbet and Wadjet front (Northwest) wall
  • Amuletic representations

    djed-pillars, tyet-knots front (Northwest) wall

Gate Jc

See entire tomb

Carter completely rebuilt this gate in the left (southeast) end of the rear (southwest) wall of burial chamber J in brick masonry, topped with an arch, to repair substantial damage to this wall due to collapse brought about by weakening of the stone at the base of the wall over corridor K. The gate is unusually thick and may originally have had compound jambs.

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decoration damaged
Damaged structurally

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.54 m
  • Width:

    0.99 m
  • Length:

    2.54 m
  • Area:

    2.52 m2
  • Volume:

    3.88 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from burial chamber J
  • Number of pillars:

    0

Side chamber Jc

See entire tomb

A passage at the rear of the burial chamber leads to this unfinished, undecorated chamber. Four pillars stand in a row on a southeast/northwest axis and have suffered damage from rock movement, particularly pillars 3 and 4, over corridor K.

Architectural Features

Pillars

Condition

Cutting finished
Damaged structurally
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.73 m
  • Width:

    13.2 m
  • Length:

    5.32 m
  • Area:

    70.23 m2
  • Volume:

    261.96 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from burial chamber J
  • Number of pillars:

    4
  • Average pillar width:

    1.02 m

Gate Jd

See entire tomb

This gate in the left (northwest) end of the right (northwest) wall of the lower part of the burial chamber has traces of anthropomorphized djed pillars painted on the thicknesses.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room O

Architectural Features

Compound jambs

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.8 m
  • Width:

    0.81 m
  • Length:

    0.9 m
  • Area:

    0.8 m2
  • Volume:

    1.58 m3
  • Orientation:

    87.26° right from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Deities

    anthropomorphized djed-pillar left (Southwest) thickness
  • Deities

    anthropomorphized djed-pillar right (Northeast) thickness

Side chamber Jd

See entire tomb

This undecorated chamber is located to the southwest of burial chamber J

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room O

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.03 m
  • Width:

    3.22 m
  • Length:

    2.66 m
  • Area:

    8.55 m2
  • Volume:

    17.36 m3
  • Orientation:

    87.26° right from burial chamber J

Gate Je

See entire tomb

This gate is cut in the right (northwest) wall of the front raised part of the burial chamber J. The right (northeast) thickness shows Sety I offering boxes of colored cloth.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room M

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Decorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.74 m
  • Width:

    0.66 m
  • Length:

    0.73 m
  • Area:

    0.48 m2
  • Volume:

    0.84 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.38° right from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Deceased

    right (Northeast) thickness

Side chamber Je

See entire tomb

The walls are decorated with the Book of the Heavenly Cow. The figure of the cow depicted on the rear (northwest) wall has suffered loss of color due to squeezes taken in the nineteenth century. Other walls have suffered acts of vandalism.

Porter and Moss designation:

Side-room M

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Decoration damaged
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.89 m
  • Width:

    3.07 m
  • Length:

    2.67 m
  • Area:

    8.18 m2
  • Volume:

    15.46 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.38° right from burial chamber J

Decoration

  • Book of the Heavenly Cow

    All walls

Graffiti

  • Arabic text:

    Arabic graffito, dating to 1883 A.D. rear (Northwest) wall

Corridor K

See entire tomb

The entrance to the corridor is reached through the floor at the rear of the burial chamber J. Belzoni found the sarcophagus of Sety I, now in Soane's Museum, London, atop the entrance to this tunnel. At least the first part of the tunnel consisted of a divided stairway. The tunnel has not been properly excavated. In places, probes throughout the debris indicated that the walls were smooth and well carved. The floor consisted of a divided stairway and the ceilings were smooth and sloped down regularly, although at the beginning of the corridor a series of stepped red brick arches constructed by Carter covers the original ceiling. Gates appear to have been placed at intervals down the length of the tunnel, the first of which is visible on the Theban Mapping Project plan of the tomb. In 2001, a project to geophysically explore the corridor was approved by the Supreme Council of Antiquities. No results have yet been published.

Architectural Features

Divided stairway

Condition

Cutting unfinished
Damaged structurally
Partly excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.57 m Irregular
  • Width:

    0.99 m
  • Orientation:

    7.51° right from burial chamber J

About

About

KV 17, located in the southeast branch of the Wadi, is the longest and deepest of all the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. It is the first tomb to be decorated with a complete program of religious texts. The tomb is decorated with the Litany of Ra (corridor B, gate C, stairwell C), Book of the Dead (stairwell C), Imydwat (stairwell C, corridor D, gate Fa, side chamber Fa, side chamber Jb, burial chamber J), Book of Gates (pillared chamber F, gate Fa, side chamber Ja, burial chamber J), Opening of the Mouth ritual (corridor G, corridor H, gate H), Book of the Heavenly Cow (side chamber Je), astronomical scenes (burial chamber J), Sety I with deities (corridor B, well chamber E, pillared chamber F, chamber I, side chamber Fa, burial chamber J, gate G), deities (stairwell C, gate D, gate J, gate Jb, gate Jd, side chamber Jb, burial chamber J), and representations of the king alone (gate Ja, gate Je).

It is also the first tomb to have a vaulted burial chamber. The tomb of Sety I consists of a total of seven corridors and ten chambers, decorated with painted, raised relief (with the exception of Fa). Three sloping corridors (B, C, D), lead to a well chamber (E) and pillared chamber (F) with side chamber (Fa). A side descent and two sloping corridors (G, H) lead to a chamber (I) beyond which lies burial chamber J. This has five side chambers (Ja-Je), and a long passage (K) at the rear.

For a virtual tour of the tomb, see Factum Arte's 3D Virtual Tour

Noteworthy features:

KV 17 is one of the most completely decorated tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with painted raised relief decoration of the highest quality. There is an unusually long descending passage (K) in the floor of the burial chamber J. Recesses were cut in the benches of Jb.

Site History

After Sety I's burial the tomb was used as a temporary cache for other royal mummies including Rameses I and Rameses II. These mummies were all subsequently moved to TT 320.

Dating

This site was used during the following period(s):

New Kingdom
Dynasty 19
Sety I

Exploration

1996-2000: Conservation
American Research Center in Egypt
1817: Discovery
Belzoni, Giovanni Battista
1817: Excavation
Belzoni, Giovanni Battista
1921-1928: Photography
Burton, Harry
1825: Conservation
Burton, James
1902-1903: Conservation
Carter, Howard
1902-1903: Excavation
Carter, Howard
1828-1829: Epigraphy
Franco-Tuscan Expedition
1826: Visit
Hay, Robert
1991: Epigraphy
Hornung, Erik
1979: Mapping/planning
Theban Mapping Project
1817: Conservation
Belzoni, Giovanni Battista
1913: Conservation
Barsanti, Alexandre

Conservation

Conservation History

In 1825, Burton finished building protective dykes around the tomb entryway to prevent flood waters from entering the tomb. Carter did a large amount of consolidation work in 1902-1903, particularly in the burial chamber J, making extensive use of brick masonry to support gate J, the lower portions of the walls and gate Jd, as well as the upper part of corridor K. In 2001, work was begun to change the modern walls around the tomb's entrance to reduce potential flood damage.

Site Condition

In the year following the opening of the tomb, flood waters from rains entered the lower chambers. Belzoni had filled the shaft in well chamber E with debris, but had failed to complete the construction of protective dykes outside the tomb entrance. As a result of the expansion and contraction of the stone and loosening of the plaster, large pieces of the walls and ceiling fell. James Burton completed Belzoni's dykes and cleared well E of debris; the tomb has not flooded since.

As a part of his conservation work, Carter repaired damage to the walls, but cracks have reappeared and the condition of the walls continues to worsen. The tomb has also suffered at the hands of vandals who have hacked away at its walls searching for hidden chambers or trying to remove painted relief. For several reasons, the once bright colors of the painted reliefs have faded. Some painted reliefs, such as the walls from chamber I, faded because of the wet squeezes taken by Belzoni, Wilkinson and other Egyptologists; others have faded simply as a result of time. The smoke from candles and torches used by early visitors to the tomb has blackened the walls and left soot deposits on the painted reliefs.

Hieroglyphs

Sety I

King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Eternal is the Justice of Ra, Son of Ra, He who Belongs to Seth, Beloved of Ptah
niswt-bity mn-mAat-Raw sA-Raw tit(w)-4tX mry-n-PtH

Bibliography

Jones, Michael.  The Work of the American Research Center in Egypt in the Tomb of Sety I in the Valley of the Kings, 1998-1999.  In: Zahi Hawass (ed..), Egyptology at the Dawn of the Twenty-first Century: Proceedings of the Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists, Cairo, 2000.  Cairo: AUC Press, 2003.  I, 138-146.   

Lipinska, Jadwiga.  The Mysterious Tunnel.  In: Christopher Eyre, Anthony Leahy and Lisa Leahy (eds.).  Unbroken Reed: Studies in the Culture and Heritage of Ancient Egypt in Honour of A.F. Shore.  London: EES, (1994): 193-194. 

Masquelier-Loorius, Julie. Séthi Ier et le début de la XIXe dynastie. Les grands pharaons. Paris: Pygmalion, 2013. Pp. 286-319.

Porter, Bertha and Rosalind Moss.  Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Text, Reliefs, and Paintings. I, 2. The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs and Smaller Cemeteries.  Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964.  Pp. 535-545.

Reeves, Carl Nicholas.  Valley of the Kings: The Decline of a Royal Necropolis (= Studies in Egyptology).  London:  KPI, 1990. Pp. 92-94.

Ridley, Ronald T.  Champollion in the Tomb of Seti I: An Unpublished Letter.  Chronique d’Égypte: Bulletin périodique de la Fondation égypto-logique Reine Elisabeth.  Brussels. 66 (1991): 23-30.

Romer, John.  Valley of the Kings.  New York: Morrow, 1981.