KV57

KV57 Tomb of Horemheb

KV57 (Kings ' Valley no 57 ) is the ancient Egyptian rock grave number 57 in the Valley of the Kings, which was created for the king (Pharaoh) Horemheb as the last ruler of the 18th Dynasty ( New Kingdom ), and probably also used for his funeral. The grave complex was very well received and, with its decorations of the most important works of art in the Valley of the Kings. There are some indications that this grave was originally sealed, but has been robbed in antiquity by grave robbers.

Discovery, excavation and exploration

The grave was discovered on 22 February 1908 by the Egyptologist Edward Russell Ayrton, who dug for his backers, the American millionaire Theodore M. Davis, in the Valley of the Kings and had been found there over the years have other grave sites. Ayrton dug in the same year from the grave conditioning and originally intended to provide a detailed report on the excavation. Such a description, however, was never published by him, and the manuscript has gone ultimately lost.

Theodore M. Davis published in 1912 mapping and object diagrams of the entire grave system.

1923 Harry Burton created a complete photo documentation of the grave system for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and documented in 1971 and published Erik Hornung then the wall decorations for the first time in color.

Location

The grave KV57 is located just above the ancient valley floor on the northern side of the western branch of the southwest extending, central wadis in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes -West. located close to this grave plant the grave KV58, which previously could be attributed to any individual and which is considered due to its location and design as a "satellite grave " from KV57.

Architecture

The grave of Horemheb system runs on a north -south axis, is 469.67 square meters, 106.58 meters long and leads to a depth of 29.52 m. The overall design of the system appears in the supervision plan like a dog, the fully abspreizt his paws after each page.

Of the recent royal tombs of the 18th dynasty, these grave system differs in several respects and represents, for example, with respect to its longitudinal axis, a transitional stage in the grave architecture. Goods up to that characteristic in the royal tombs of the 18th Dynasty to the right bent main axes, then convert them gradually up to straight axes of the royal tombs of the 19th and 20th Dynasties.

Findings and their significance

Part of this grave discovered in plant murals are designed not only as a simple painted walls, but the first time for a king grave as colored bas-reliefs. In addition, instead of the Imydwat for the first time individual sections of the ancient Egyptian underworld book ( Book of Gates ) are present on wall as shown in this grave system and therefore occupies. The decoration of the grave system has not been completed in all areas, although by Wolfgang Helck the reign of Horemheb, twelve years three months, or by Rolf Krauss even took a total of 27 years.

Photo Gallery

Unfinished wall decoration with scene from the Book of Gates ( Re on the solar barque )

Sarcophagus and wall decoration in the central grave chamber

Horemheb as Osiris by Anubis, Horus and Hathor

Panorama view on three walls

Horemheb and Hathor