KV3
Encyclopedia
Tomb KV3, located in Egypt
's Valley of the Kings
, was intended for the burial of an unidentified son of Pharaoh
Ramesses III
during the early part of the Twentieth Dynasty
. It is similar in design to the "straight axis" tombs typical of this dynasty, and an ostracon
written in hieratic
script from the time of Ramesses III mentions the founding of a tomb for a royal prince, likely this tomb. The unfinished state of a couple of rooms in the tomb along with scant archeological evidence suggests that the tomb was never used. Some have suggested that it was originally intended for use by the prince regent who would succeed as Ramesses IV
, and who started building his own tomb (KV2
) soon after he came to the throne.
, and its size reflects the effort that would have gone into burying a member of the royal family.
Past the entrance to the tomb KV3 barely descends any further, a particular feature for other tombs built for other sons of Ramesses III in the Valley of the Queens. There are two corridors (labeled "A" and "B") which lead from the opening to the tomb, with the second passage flanked near the end by two chambers. Of these two chambers, only the one facing south ("Bb") was finished, the other one ("Ba") being only just begun when work on the tomb was abandoned. Past the second corridor is a larger room ("F") containing four pillars, and flanked by two smaller rooms. Only the side chamber to the north ("Fa") was finished, with work on the second one ("Fb") only just begun when work stopped. Past this room and running along the same axis as the corridor are three further rooms ("G", "H" and "I"), the first two of which have vaulted ceilings. One of these two final vaulted chambers was likely intended as a burial chamber.
What tomb decoration that survives can be found only along the length and flanking gates on either end of corridor B. These show Rameses III followed by an unnamed prince, attended by various gods and goddesses. It is thought that more decoration once existed, since Karl Lepsius
noted traces of paint on the vaulted chambers and mentions cartouche
s and images of Ramesses III in the first corridor when he visited the tomb in the 1840s.
There is evidence that in the Byzantine
period the tomb was used as a Christian
chapel.
Though open since Ancient times, the tomb was only properly excavated in 1912 by archeologist Harry Burton, which was funded by the wealthy American lawyer Theodore M. Davis
. It was one of the last excavations funded by Davis, and no report of this excavation work was published.
The tomb is located on the main path, close to the entrance to the Valley.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
's Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
, was intended for the burial of an unidentified son of Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Ramesses III
Ramesses III
Usimare Ramesses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty and is considered to be the last great New Kingdom king to wield any substantial authority over Egypt. He was the son of Setnakhte and Queen Tiy-Merenese. Ramesses III is believed to have reigned from March 1186 to April 1155 BCE...
during the early part of the Twentieth Dynasty
Twentieth dynasty of Egypt
The Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of ancient Egypt are often combined under the group title, New Kingdom. This dynasty is considered to be the last one of the New Kingdom of Egypt, and was followed by the Third Intermediate Period....
. It is similar in design to the "straight axis" tombs typical of this dynasty, and an ostracon
Ostracon
An ostracon is a piece of pottery , usually broken off from a vase or other earthenware vessel. In archaeology, ostraca may contain scratched-in words or other forms of writing which may give clues as to the time when the piece was in use...
written in hieratic
Hieratic
Hieratic refers to a cursive writing system that was used in the provenance of the pharaohs in Egypt and Nubia that developed alongside the hieroglyphic system, to which it is intimately related...
script from the time of Ramesses III mentions the founding of a tomb for a royal prince, likely this tomb. The unfinished state of a couple of rooms in the tomb along with scant archeological evidence suggests that the tomb was never used. Some have suggested that it was originally intended for use by the prince regent who would succeed as Ramesses IV
Ramesses IV
Heqamaatre Ramesses IV was the third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. His name prior to assuming the crown was Amonhirkhopshef...
, and who started building his own tomb (KV2
KV2
Tomb KV2, found in the Valley of the Kings, is the tomb of Ramesses IV, and is located low down in the main valley, between KV7 and KV1. It has been open since antiquity and contains a large amount of graffiti.-Contemporary plans of the tomb:...
) soon after he came to the throne.
Tomb description
In terms of its design it closely follows that used for tombs in the Valley of the QueensValley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties many princes and princesses...
, and its size reflects the effort that would have gone into burying a member of the royal family.
Past the entrance to the tomb KV3 barely descends any further, a particular feature for other tombs built for other sons of Ramesses III in the Valley of the Queens. There are two corridors (labeled "A" and "B") which lead from the opening to the tomb, with the second passage flanked near the end by two chambers. Of these two chambers, only the one facing south ("Bb") was finished, the other one ("Ba") being only just begun when work on the tomb was abandoned. Past the second corridor is a larger room ("F") containing four pillars, and flanked by two smaller rooms. Only the side chamber to the north ("Fa") was finished, with work on the second one ("Fb") only just begun when work stopped. Past this room and running along the same axis as the corridor are three further rooms ("G", "H" and "I"), the first two of which have vaulted ceilings. One of these two final vaulted chambers was likely intended as a burial chamber.
What tomb decoration that survives can be found only along the length and flanking gates on either end of corridor B. These show Rameses III followed by an unnamed prince, attended by various gods and goddesses. It is thought that more decoration once existed, since Karl Lepsius
Karl Richard Lepsius
Karl Richard Lepsius was a pioneering Prussian Egyptologist and linguist and pioneer of modern archaeology.-Background:...
noted traces of paint on the vaulted chambers and mentions cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
s and images of Ramesses III in the first corridor when he visited the tomb in the 1840s.
There is evidence that in the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
period the tomb was used as a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
chapel.
Though open since Ancient times, the tomb was only properly excavated in 1912 by archeologist Harry Burton, which was funded by the wealthy American lawyer Theodore M. Davis
Theodore M. Davis
Theodore M. Davis was an American lawyer and is best known for his excavations in Egypt's Valley of the Kings between 1902 and 1914.-Biography:...
. It was one of the last excavations funded by Davis, and no report of this excavation work was published.
The tomb is located on the main path, close to the entrance to the Valley.
External links
- Theban Mapping Project: KV3 - Includes description, images, and plan of the tomb.