(photo by Tim Adams is licensed under CC BY 3.0 )
At 380 feet long, the Tomb of Ramesses V & VI is one of the largest in the Valley of the Kings — circa 1137 BCE
This is the Tomb of Ramesses V & VI, one of the longest and most expansive tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The first six chambers were built by Ramesses V, then completed by his successor, Ramesses VI.
Both kings were buried here, but their mummies were removed and hidden elsewhere sometime after the tomb was robbed in antiquity. Many of the bodies of the rulers of the New Kingdom were moved to other locations to save them from those looking to snatch some treasure.
The corridor is exceptionally wide and tall, featuring scenes from a variety of Ancient Egyptian funerary texts like the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns. In general terms, these focused on the journey of the sun god Ra through the underworld. He would face a number of challenges after sunset, eventually uniting with Osiris and being reborn at sunrise.
This was meant to mirror the journey of the king after death, who would be regenerated and reborn in the afterlife.
Neither Ramesses V nor Ramesses VI reigned for a particularly long time. This period was generally one of a decline that began with Ramesses III, who defeated the somewhat mysterious “Sea Peoples” who wreaked havoc across the area and contributed to what’s known as the “Bronze Age Collapse.”
Nevertheless, this is an incredibly impressive tomb, and the paint is still quite vibrant. Visiting it requires an extra ticket on top of the three you’re allowed with the basic ticket at the Valley of the Kings.
Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.