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Tomb of Horemheb
Overview

Location
KV 57 is located in the west branch of the southwest valley, the tomb's opening, just above the Valley's ancient floor, is low in the south side of a hill that projects eastward into the central wadi from the cliff face where KV 35 (Amenhetep II) is cut.

Three sloping corridors lead to a well chamber (E) and a pillared chamber (F).
A side descent and two sloping corridors (G and H) lead to chamber I giving access to the burial chamber J. This has two side chambers with more side chambers with a total length of 127.88 meters.

The tomb represents a transition in tomb architecture from the bent axis plan, characteristic of Dynasty 18, to the straight axis royal tombs of Dynasties 19 and 20.

The tomb Axis orientation aligns with geographical North

The decoration is composed of representations of deities, Horemheb with deities, and scenes from the Book of Gates in the burial chamber,

Location in relation to other tombs

The well chamber of kv57 falls under chamber E of Ramesses the Sixth tomb (KV9) This chamber has a well shaft, today partly filled with debris, although the excavators reported a small chamber opening off the bottom.

A wood and iron bridge has been constructed over the well shaft. The chamber is decorated with representations of the king with various deities and the ceiling is covered with star pattern.

information about this tomb is provided with a little help from our friends at The Theban Mapping Project , please check out their amazing work documenting the valley.

And also with an extra help from our friend Dr. Thierry Benderitter the creator of osirisnet.net which is a crucial source of information for us.

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Tomb of Horemheb
Pillared Chamber F

Tomb Noteworthy features:

This chamber exhibits another architectural innovation:
its long axis is roughly parallel to the axis of the upper corridors, and the axis of the stepped descent and the lower chambers are parallel and offset to the west.

The excavators noted the presence of blocking in the descent that had been broken through in antiquity.
There are two pillars in the chamber. There is a round hole in the left (west) wall above the descent.

The stairway moving further into the tomb is cut into the floor in the northwest corner of chamber F and extends to gate G.

About Horemheb - the General

Horemheb, of non-royal origin, began his military career during the reign of Akhenaten. A brilliant soldier, he ascended quickly in the hierarchy and became a General, then General-in-chief. His military career continued under the reign of Tutankhamun, during whom it is extremely probable that he exercised the reality of power.

In the confusion of the post-Amarna period, and under the reign of a child-king, it is very probable that the cohesion of the country and the stability of its borders rested largely on him. Nevertheless, he was unable to seize power for himself at the death of Tut ankhamun, and had to let the high priest Ay ascend to the throne for a few years.

With Ay's death, Horemheb was finally able to take up the Double-crown.
The civil tomb which Horemheb had construct for himself at Saqqara was re-discovered there a few years ago by G. T. Martin.
Fragments were already known from the Museum of Leiden, as with that of Berlin.

No remains of Horemheb were found, but evidence exists that the tomb was at one time sealed, at least from gate F onwards.
The broken lid of the sarcophagus found lying on the floor, as well as the shattered condition of the canopic chest and other burial furnishings, suggest that the burial was robbed.

Several hieratic inspection dockets from Dynasty 21 may record temporary caching of burials here before they subsequently were removed, perhaps to KV 35.

About Horemheb - the Pharaoh

With Hormheb as a Pharaoh, there were soldiers who came to power in the Double-lands.
The events of the Amarna period were erased, the Theban cult of Amun recovers its pre-eminence.
Djeser-Kheperu-Ra (approx. 1319-1292) was classically regarded as the last Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty.

Not having had children, he will choose his faithful comrade-in-arms, Pa-Ramessu (the future Ramesses I) to succeed to him, having already conceived the grandeur of a son, that of the future Sethy I.
Thus constituting the beginning of the 19th Dynasty.

Tomb of Horemheb
Painted Chamber I - detail 1

This chamber has its Cutting finished and decorated but the decoration is structurally damaged shows the king in the presence of deities.

- Amuletic representations: djed-pillar, tyet-knot Front (north) wall
- Horemheb with deities: two figures of Hathor and one of Horus Rear (south) wall
- Horemheb with deities: Anubis, Isis, Horus, Hathor, Osiris Right (west) wall
- Horemheb with deities: Ptah and Nefertem Front (north) wall
- Horemheb with deities: Anubis, Isis, Horus, Hathor, Osiris Left (east) wall

Tomb Noteworthy features:

This tomb descends with the steepness of earlier tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but several unique features were added.
A ramp descending to a set of stairs was cut between the pillars of the burial; a second set of stairs was cut beside the first.

Both lead to a crypt on a lower level. Also, a lower side chamber was cut beneath side chamber.
The decoration in the burial chamber and other parts of the tomb was left in various stages of work, allowing scholars to study the processes involved in preparing painted relief.

KV57 is the first tomb in the valley of the kings to include of the book of gates which describes the nightly journey of the Sun god through the world of the dead.

Tomb of Horemheb
Painted Chamber I - detail 2

Tomb Usage across the dynasties:
This site was used during the following period(s):
- New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, Horemheb
- Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 21

Discovery and conservation work:
The tomb was discovered and excavated in 1908 by Ayrton, Edward Russell for Theodore M. Davis, he also did the mapping and planning in 1912, later on in 1923 Harry Burton photographed it for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

When discovered, much damage had already happened to the pillars and ceiling of the burial chamber.
The blocking of the doorway in the north wall of well chamber E had been broken through in antiquity, resulting in damage to some of the painted scene that covered it.

Damage to the decoration around gates I and J also occurred. This damage has since been repaired.
- in 1934 Service des Antiquités did some restoration work in chamber I.
- In 1971 the tomb was photographed again in color by Erik Hornung.

Flooding in the Valley in October and November 1994 caused water to enter the tomb and although much was caught in the well shaft, some water seeped across the bridge over the shaft and entered the lower chambers.

Conservation work was then carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 1994 after the flooding (particularly in chambers E, I, and J) and walkways and lighting were installed.

History of Exploration:
- Ayrton, Edward Russell (1908): Discovery (made for Theodore M. Davis)
- Ayrton, Edward Russell (1908): Excavation (conducted for Theodore M. Davis)
- Davis, Theodore M. (1912): Mapping/planning
- Burton, Harry (1923): Photography (for the Metropolitan Museum of Art)
- Service des Antiquités (1934): Conservation
- Hornung, Erik (1971): Photography (shot in color)
- Supreme Council of Antiquities (1994-): Conservation

Tomb of Horemheb
Painted Chamber I - detail 3

The lintel of this compound gate has suffered structural damage and is no longer intact.
The outer thicknesses display figures of Ma'at.
The gate was once closed by a wooden door. Leading to the golden Hall

Finally reaching the Burial chamber, we find it divided into two sections with various annexes off its sides and northern extremity.
The first part is a six Pillared Hall, then, after descending a small flight of steps, the second part is the Sarcophagus Chamber, the actual resting place of the sarcophagus.

The whole chamber was intended to be decorated with the Book of Gates, which appears for the first time, here, in the tomb of Horemheb. However, decoration apparently ceased abruptly.

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

Pillared upper level

The burial chamber consists of Two levels, the pillared upper level and the sunken lower level.

The burial chamber is divided into two parts: a pillared section which is level with gate J and a sunken lower section containing the sarcophagus reached by two stairways, one between the last set of pillars and on the other to the left (west) of them.

The pillared section consists of three pairs of pillars, some of which have undergone restoration.

A gently sloping ramp begins its descent between the first set of pillars and leads to the stairway which lies between the last set.
The second stairway was cut in the floor to the west of the first set of stairs, but it was filled in during the restoration process.
The pillars were also restored and partially reconstructed at this time.

The lower level has a flat ceiling. There is a large red granite sarcophagus placed off-center on the floor.

Chamber J with its two levels, has gates to five side chambers or annexes, shown in the illustration below:
- two in the Left (west) wall.
- one in the Front (north) wall.
- and two in the Right (east) wall.

The actual intended use for these is uncertain as only two were found to contain remnants left by the robbers, but how large an inventory was placed in the tomb, and in which rooms, we will never know.

Intended to be decorated on its three sides, the chamber was left in an uncompleted condition.

This does however allow us to fully understand the stages of production, from initial draft in red, through correction in black, the beginning of raised relief work and then painting; although the only painted areas are the uncarved surfaces in the southwest corner.

The theme for this and the Sarcophagus chamber was the new "Book of Gates", being used for the first time in this tomb.

Whether it existed in another form before this is uncertain, but it obviously had its origins in the "Book of the Amduat".

The "Book of Gates" is also divided into 12 "hours" (of night) the journey of the deceased through the underworld.

In this tomb only "hours" 2 to 6 are sketched out (or painted), although other "hours" may have been destined for one or other of the annexes.

Above the imagery is, or should be, the descriptive text.
A full English translation of the texts from this tomb is given in "T.M. Davis, The Tombs of Harmhabi and Touatankhamanou".

The ceiling was probably to have been decorated with stars, in a fashion similar to the Antechamber, though this also was not started.

The decoration is of particular interest here not only for the innovative subject matter, but its unfinished nature shows the different stages in the work of the artists.

Preliminary sketches on the right, left, and rear walls preserve excellent examples of the first stage of the decorative process.

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Book of Gates - 3rd hour

South-East corner
Apart from a line drawn around the doorway to the First Eastern side chamber (the northern edge of which starts the 3rd hour of the Book of Gates) the southern end of the east wall is totally devoid of decoration.
As too is the eastern side of the south wall.

The East Wall:
Beginning on the northern edge of the doorway to the First Eastern side chambers, is the Third Hour of the Book of Gates. This extends to the end of this wall, up to the beginning of the Burial Chamber.

It is only sketched in draft but contains corrections. Some areas have been filled with black paint.
This "hour" also contains, at the top of the wall, an already sketched kheker-frieze, of the type found in the Well Chamber and Antechamber.

The Book of Gates - 3rd Hour
The gate, called "Provided with flame" is complete.
The upright guardian snake is this time called "The Winding One".
The hour is divided into three registers, all of which are complete in outline.

3rd Hour - Upper Register
Next to the gate, with their backs to it, stand twelve black mummies "the gods who dwell in the Duat", inside round topped shrines.

A long serpent stretches over them facing away from the gate.
An oblong lake with slightly rounded ends, fills the rest of the upper register.
On top of this are twelve conical white shapes with black human heads.
Before each of these stands a large flame.
They represent the "gods who dwell in the lake of flame".

3rd Hour - Middle Register
As usual, this register begins with the barque of Ra, pulled by the usual four "people of the Duat".
The contents of the barque are also as before. However, this time the towing rope enters the head of a bull, connected by a long straight beam (supposedly an intestine) and exits from the head of another bull, to be towed at this other end by the emerged same four "people of the Duat".

A bull stands at each end, on top of the beam; this whole assembly is called the "Barque of the Earth" and is carried on the shoulders of eight mummies facing towards the oncoming barque.

At the end of this register, facing the approaching retinue, stand four human mummies with uncovered faces and protruding elbows. These are the "Bandaged Ones".

3rd Hour - Lower Register
Standing with his back to the gate, leaning on a staff, is Atum in front of the large coiled snake "Apophis" and nine gods in human form, the "assessors who overthrow Apophis", who all face him.

The second image of Atum leaning on his staff, also with his back to gate, face nine gods in human form with Was-sceptres and Ankh symbols in their hands, these are the "Lords of Provisioning".

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Book of Gates - 3rd hour

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Book of Gates - 4th hour

South-West corner
The west (left) side of the south (entry) wall and the beginning of the west wall, up to the doorway to the First Western side chamber, was given over to the second hour of "The Book of Gates". This is the only colour decorated portion in this chamber.

In participating in the afterlife journey, Horemheb partook of Osiris and Re's power by travelling from south to north befitting the reversed world of the afterlife, only to rise facing the sun in the sixth hour of the underworld journey.

West wall
Beginning on the northern edge of the doorway to the first western side chamber, is the 4th hour of "The Book of Gates"
This extends to the end of this wall, up to the beginning of the Burial Chamber.

It is only sketched in draft but contains corrections.
Some areas have been filled with either black or white paint, noticeably the shrine of Ra on his barque.

The Book of Gates - 4th Hour
This gate is called "Mistress of Provisioning" and it is complete in outline.
The upright guardian snake is this time called "The Biter".
The hour is divided into three registers.

4th Hour - Upper Register
With their backs to the gate, stand twelve gods in human form called "Gods who carry their own likeness (their own ka)".
In front of them, standing on two rectangles representing a lake, are twelve gods with human bodies and jackal heads.
The gods stand, six on each half. The lake is named is written in hieroglyphs between the two halves, "Lake of Life".
Beyond this lake is yet another, the "Lake of Uraei", on which are ten raised up uraei, five on each.

4th Hour - Middle Register
This register begins like that of the hour 2, with the barque of Ra, drawn again by four "people of the Duat".

In front of this is a low chapel divided into nine rooms, each containing a black human mummy lying on its back. These are the "Divine followers of Osiris" who are waiting to arise.

The sun god will cause their resurrection and provide for them.
The chapel is followed by two inclines, both rising towards the centre, at which there is a gap.
The outer section of each incline is painted black, while the inner section contains a symbol for water.
In the gulf between is coiled a large snake.
The six females on each incline are the "Hours who dwell in the Duat" and writing above the snake proclaims that "when the snake has given birth, the twelve fly away and are eaten by the hours".

4th Hour - Lower Register
"Horus" stands, leaning on a stick, with his back to the gate.
In front of him, facing away from him, are eleven gods in human form "Guardians of the Diadem", walking towards a small shrine, containing Osiris, but in front of them is a large uraeus.

Osiris is standing on a large snake.
Behind the shrine are a further twelve gods "Gods who are behind the Chapel", also facing it.
The last section of this register shows four human forms ("Captains of the Furnaces") each in front of a vaulted furnace, where the enemies of Osiris are punished.

This register is concluded by a another figure facing the last furnace.
This has been restored from the fallen, damaged end section of the wall.

A better view of the last section of the west wall can be seen from here

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Book of Gates - 5th hour (incomplete)

West Wall
Originally starting on the small south-west side-step from the Pillared Hall, is what would have been the 5th. hour of the Book of Gates.

This would have covered not only the whole of this wall, but also the west half of the north wall, however work was only started on the west wall.

The portion of the gate originally on the side-step was lost with the damage which has occurred there.
The only section sketched is the upper register.
The upper register area also contains the location for the "magical bricks".
Lines were drawn for the position of a kheker-frieze but nothing more.
Lines for the lower registers were not even added

The Book of Gates - The 5th. Hour:
The gate is incomplete, only the upper portion of main section and that of the guardian snake survive.

The name of the gate is missing but the upright guardian snake is this time called "Face of Fire".

The hour would have been divided into three registers, only an upper one was started.

Upper Register
Twelve gods in human form walk away from the gate, slightly stooped.
Next are seven gods in human form holding a rope, which is coiled between each of them.
This scene should have been continued on the west half of the north wall.

Middle Register
Missing.

Lower Register
Missing.

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Book of Gates - 6th hour and Judgment scene

North-east and East Walls
The east wall of the chamber and concluding on the east half of the north wall is the 6th. hour and "Judgement scene" of the Book of Gates.
The gate which was not started to be painted should have been placed on the side-step from the Pillared Hall and the southern end of the east wall. However, the current position of the sketch of the "Barque of Ra" would not have allowed enough room for the whole gate.

The last scene, the "Judgement scene" is sketched in total on the east half of the north wall.
The area of the east wall which would have contained the upper register, contains the location for the "magical bricks".
The east wall contains the register division lines and space for a kheker-frieze.
The north wall contains the end of the three registers of the 6th. hour.
the Judgement scene takes up the height of three registers and does not have enough space available for the kheker-frieze

The Book of Gates - The 6th Hour and Judgement scene

The gate itself is missing.
The hour, with the exception of the Judgement scene, is divided into three registers, which are only partially sketched.

Upper Register
Only the end (north wall) section has been sketched.
The existing part of the scene shows a standing mummy held upright by a twisted rope, representing time.
Holding the rope are two of what should be twelve men.

Middle Register
At the southern end of the east wall is the "barque of Ra" hauled by the four gods in human form.
At the east end of the north wall is located the end of the middle register. It contains two (of nine) "gods who dwell in the Duat".

Lower Register
Only the end (north wall) section has been sketched.
This contains two mummies standing face to face.
Between them is a round well full of water from which arises an uraeus.

The Judgement scene
This completely sketched section is located on the eastern half of the north wall.
This represents the judgement of the dead by "Osiris", seen sitting on a chair mounted on a platform at the top of a flight of nine steps.

In front of him is a balance supported by a mummy.
On the steps are the "Ennead who follow him", each on his own step.

In the top right corner is Anubis, with the head of a jackal, looking towards Osiris.
Under him floats a barque in which a large ape "Devourer of the Arm" is seen beating a pig with a stick.
Along the top edge, above "Osiris", hang four upturned gazelle heads.

Tomb of Horemheb
The Golden Hall

The Sarcophagus

The Sarcophagus:
Situated towards the north-east corner, offset from the centre of the Sarcophagus Chamber, is the large reasonably well intact red granite sarcophagus.
It measures 2.72m in length, 1.15m in width and 1.41m in height (including the lid). Looking south-east It is sits with its long edge facing the north wall.
The main box is beautifully carved in relief and apart from scratches, probably incurred during the robberies, is in extremely good condition.
Along the top edges of the box runs an ornate Egyptian cornice.
The lid, also of red granite, has been cut with three slots for wooden cramps as part of ancient repairs to diagonal split.
The design of the lid is in the form of a vault with rectangular block ends.

Horemheb was the first and only king of the 18th Dynasty (where the Books of the Netherworld were used) to orient the head of his sarcophagus to the east.

Decoration of the sarcophagus:
At each end of the long sides are goddesses, their arms outstreched but inclined downwards and supporting large wings.
One arm and its wing stretching to the middle of the long side, but not as far as the mid-point; the other stretching along the short side (the end of the sarcophagus) and crossing that of the other goddess.
These goddesses are in raised relief.
The goddesses are, "Isis" (north-east corner) facing "Neith" (north-west corner) and "Nephthys" (south-east) facing "Selkis" (south-west).

The long sides each contain three gods, one in the centre between the wing tips and the others midway between the centre god and the end goddess, partially obscured by the wing.

The gods on the north side (facing east) are, starting with the eastern-most, "Hapy", "Anubis" and "Qebehsenuef".

The gods on the south side (facing east) are, starting with the eastern-most, "Amseti", "Anubis" and "Duamutef".

This places the four sons of Horus at each corner of the deceased, in addition to the goddesses.

The lid is inscribed only with text, but placed as if wrapping the sarcophagus in bandages, two strips running along the long edges and one centrally along the length; two strips running over the curved top at the ends with a further two equally spaced crossing over the curve of the lid.