Nefertari

Wall Paintings in the Tomb of Queen Nefertari

Wall Paintings in the Tomb of Queen Nefertari

The tomb of Queen Nefertari, Valley of the Queens, West Thebes, is one of the best preserved and most ornately decorated of all known tombs. The image shows a wall and ceiling within the burial chamber. The ceiling is painted with stars to represent the night sky. The paintings (from left to right) show a...

Tomb of Queen Nefertari

Tomb of Nefertari

Interior of the vestibule within the tomb of Queen Nefertari. At center is the entrance to a larger room known as the First east side annexe. Nefertari Meritmut, who lived around 1300-1255 BC, was the Great Royal wife of king Ramesses II. Her tomb is located in the Valley of the Queens, near the ancient...

Guardians of the Underworld bearing knives

Guardians of the Underworld bearing knives

Taken from Spell 144 of the ‘Book of the Dead’, they were the keepers of the gates of the Underworld, menacing the enemies of order with their sharpened knives. Detail of wall painting from the Tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV66). New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, ca. 1292-1189 BC. Valley of the Queens, West Thebes.

Litany of Re: Depiction of Re-Osiris

When Re was in the underworld, he merged with Osiris, the god of the dead, and through it became the god of the dead as well. The union of the gods Re and Osiris (in the guise of a ram-headed mummy which wears the sun’s disk between its horizontal, corkscrew horns). Detail of a wall...

Queen Nefertari before Goddess Isis

Painting of the goddess Isis offers the ankh, the symbol of life, to Nefertari. A detailed view of Pillar II in Chamber K (the burial chamber).  New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II, ca. 1279-1213 BC. The Tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV66), Valley of the Queens, West Thebes.