KV18

Welcome to KV18, the resting place intended for Ramesses the Tenth, one of the final Pharaohs of the Twentieth Dynasty. As you stand at the entrance of this tomb, you are observing the sunset of the New Kingdom. …

The entrance to KV18 is a large, open-cut gateway in the limestone hillside. This style of entrance was typical for late New Kingdom tombs, designed to be both imposing and relatively easy to excavate compared to the more hidden…

Step inside the first corridor, where the transition from the bright exterior to the shaded interior begins. Here, you can see the initial attempts to prepare the walls for decoration. …

Continuing deeper, we enter the second corridor. This section of the tomb shows more of the challenges faced by the late Ramesside architects. …

The third corridor leads to what was intended to be a ritual pit or a protective well. This was a common feature in New Kingdom tombs, designed both to catch floodwaters and to act as a symbolic barrier to the inner sanctum. …

At the furthest point of the accessible tomb, we reach the area intended to be the pillared hall. Only the very beginning of this large chamber was excavated, with the rough outlines of the pillars just starting to emerge from…

KV18 has a long history of exploration, having been open and known for centuries. Early travelers often used its accessible corridors as a retreat from the heat. …

As we walk back toward the sunlight from the depths of KV18, we reflect on the story of Ramesses the Tenth. This tomb is a powerful reminder that history is not always a series of finished masterpieces. …