KV11

Welcome to KV11, the final resting place of Pharaoh Ramses III, the last great warrior king of the New Kingdom's 20th Dynasty. Located in the heart of the Valley of the Kings on Luxor's West Bank, this tomb is one of the longest…

As we stand at the entrance to KV11, we are flanked by two bovine-headed pilasters, representing the goddess Hathor, who was believed to welcome the deceased into the West. The first two corridors of the tomb were originally…

Continuing down the corridor, we reach the chamber that gave this tomb its fame: the Hall of the Harpers. Located in a small side room, this scene depicts two blind musicians playing large, ornate harps before the gods. …

As we move into the deeper corridors, we must address the dark story that overshadows Ramses III's reign: the Harem Conspiracy. Ancient papyri, such as the Judicial Papyrus of Turin, tell of a plot by one of his secondary wives,…

At the end of the long descent, we reach the massive burial chamber, an eight-pillared hall that once housed the king's sarcophagus. This room was intended to be the center of the universe for the deceased king, a space where he…

The story of Ramses III does not end in KV11. His mummy was among those moved by priests in the 21st Dynasty to the secret cache at Deir el-Bahari to protect it from rampant tomb robbery. …

Finally, we should appreciate the sheer artistic mastery displayed throughout KV11. The tomb represents the final high point of New Kingdom tomb art before the economic and political decline of the later 20th Dynasty. …

As we exit KV11 and emerge back into the bright sunlight of the Valley of the Kings, we carry with us a complex portrait of Pharaoh Ramses III. He was a king of contradictions: a mighty warrior who defeated the Sea Peoples, yet a…