There are currently 62 numbered tombs that have been discovered in the Valley of the Kings. Not all occupants have been identified and not all have been excavated. Epigraphy, whether done as an exact copy or done photographically, has been attempted in only 25 of these tombs (see chart 1). Of these 25, 8 do not have any epigraphic publications associated with them. Moreover, almost all KV tombs have been mentioned in a larger publication dealing with of the Valley of the Kings, namely Elizabeth Thomas, The Royal Necropolis of Thebes, Kent Weeks, Atlas of the Valley of the Kings, Nicholas Reeves and Richard Wilkinson, The Complete Valley of the Kings, and Carl Nicholas Reeves, Valley of the Kings: the Decline of a Royal Necropolis. A number
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Throughout the publication, much background information is given. Piankoff’s first introduction describes Ramesses VI’s tomb in general terms, as well as a general history of ancient Egypt. This includes, but is not limited to, kingship ideology and mythology, history of royal burial practices, and details about Ramesses VI’s tomb. The second introduction serves to introduce the texts in translation, in which Piankoff recounts in detail some ancient Egyptian religious and funerary beliefs, and gives specific information about each cosmological book which appears in Ramesses VI’s tomb. This introduction at the fore of “Part 2: Texts of the Tomb of Ramesses VI,” is in addition to the smaller introductions before the translation of each cosmological book, as well as the introductions to the chapters or “tableaus” within each of those books. Piankoff is giving the reader an enormous amount of background information. Therefore, this publication also seems to serve a purpose of illuminating the religious texts which comprise most of Ramesses VI’s tomb …show more content…
In fact, the tomb was never completed. In his publication, Erik Hornung stresses the importance of this unfinished tomb in helping to illuminate the tomb construction process. In his introduction to Das Grab des Haremhab im Tal der Könige, Hornung explicitly states the epigraphic method and technology used. They used a Linhof Kardan Color camera, which compensated for distortions commonly encountered photographing in tight spaces, and artificial light consisting of two 500 watt lamps. The textual description of the tomb begins with a history of Horemheb and how he ascended to the royal throne. The analysis of the tomb decoration is brief, since the decoration was not finished when the tomb was abandoned. However, it is addressed in conjunction with the tomb layout and structure. Frank Teichmann authors a chapter dedicated to what we can learn about tomb construction from the abandoned tomb, which shows various stages of completion. Lastly, objects found in the tomb are presented, most importantly the sarcophagus that was found
Throughout the publication, much background information is given. Piankoff’s first introduction describes Ramesses VI’s tomb in general terms, as well as a general history of ancient Egypt. This includes, but is not limited to, kingship ideology and mythology, history of royal burial practices, and details about Ramesses VI’s tomb. The second introduction serves to introduce the texts in translation, in which Piankoff recounts in detail some ancient Egyptian religious and funerary beliefs, and gives specific information about each cosmological book which appears in Ramesses VI’s tomb. This introduction at the fore of “Part 2: Texts of the Tomb of Ramesses VI,” is in addition to the smaller introductions before the translation of each cosmological book, as well as the introductions to the chapters or “tableaus” within each of those books. Piankoff is giving the reader an enormous amount of background information. Therefore, this publication also seems to serve a purpose of illuminating the religious texts which comprise most of Ramesses VI’s tomb …show more content…
In fact, the tomb was never completed. In his publication, Erik Hornung stresses the importance of this unfinished tomb in helping to illuminate the tomb construction process. In his introduction to Das Grab des Haremhab im Tal der Könige, Hornung explicitly states the epigraphic method and technology used. They used a Linhof Kardan Color camera, which compensated for distortions commonly encountered photographing in tight spaces, and artificial light consisting of two 500 watt lamps. The textual description of the tomb begins with a history of Horemheb and how he ascended to the royal throne. The analysis of the tomb decoration is brief, since the decoration was not finished when the tomb was abandoned. However, it is addressed in conjunction with the tomb layout and structure. Frank Teichmann authors a chapter dedicated to what we can learn about tomb construction from the abandoned tomb, which shows various stages of completion. Lastly, objects found in the tomb are presented, most importantly the sarcophagus that was found