THE BURIAL CHAMBER
Measuring 6.4 m by 4m, it was the only one of the four chambers with painted walls. It was occupied by four shrines, each one fitting inside the next, with the largest taking up almost all of the space. The four floorless shrines constituted an ensemble unique in the world and covered the monolithic red quartzite sarcophagus that contained the 3 golden coffins. The smallest of these 3 coffins sheltered the mummy that wore the fabulous golden mask. Between the outer shrine and the walls, several objects had been deposited , paddles, lamps, necklaces, vases , calame and papyrus cases , jars , clay mortars, a bouquet of persea and olive leaves as well as a box in the form of a doubles naos containing funerary instrument
1-The golden mask
Gold, lapis-lazuli,cornaline ,quartz, obsidian, turquoise and coloured glass. The height is 54 cm ,it is 39.3 cm wide and weighs 11kg. the headdress is the usual nemes , tied at the back of the neck and striped with bands of blue glass imitating lapis lazuli.
On the forehead the uraeus and vulture's head rise up , worked in gold and adorned with semi-precious stones and coloured glass.
The eyes of the mask are made of obsidian and quartz with the corners highlighted in red, the eyeliner and eye lids inlaid with blue.
The divine-braided beard is made of glass set in gold partitions. On each earlobe ,a cavity suggests a hole for jewels.
the breastplate is formed by rows of lapis-lazuli, quartz, amazonite and coloured glass and is attached at the shoulders by a falcon's head adorned with obsidian.
2-The three different sized coffins
meant that one fitted inside another and they in turn went inside the largest one. inside was the mummy with its golden mask. the coffins could represent the three elements that allowed the deceased to go to the after – world.
a-the first coffin, the khet= the body….. is made of wood covered with gold leaf and precious stones . like the human being ,this coffin is beautiful on the exterior but poor on the interior.
b- the second coffin or intermediate coffin reoresents the ka =the spirit before the last judgement .following the same symbolism,it is gold on the outside and wooden on the inside.
c-the third coffin or mummiform coffin, represent the ba=the luminous spirit it made of pure gold.
This coffin made of cypress wood was given a fine coat of plaster moulded in relief, and covered with gold leaf. The thickness of the gold varies , from the heavy plates used for the face and hands, to the thinner gold leaves covering this strange headdress resembling the khat= the body. On the left as on the right, superimposed on the feathered motif, the goddesses ISIS and NEPHTHYS spread their wings to protect the king.
- Height 115 cm
- Length 224 cm
- Width 88 cm
Carter stated when the lid of the outer sarcophagus was lifted to reveal this second, more magnificent, mummiform coffin. The surface concealed under a linen shroud, disappeared under four floral collerettes. Above the shroud was placed a small wreath of olive leaves. The inlay of the Nemes stripes, the eyebrows, the eyeliner and the beard are of blue glass that imitates lapis-lazuli. The frontal Uraeus is of gilt wood and its head is of blue glazed pottery with inlaid blue, red and turquoise glass. The head of the vulture goddess NEKHBET is gilt wood with her beak probably of ebony. Her eyes are of obsidian. Placed in the hands, the sceptre Heqa and the flail, symbols of the divine royalty, are inlaid with lapis blue or turquoise glass and blue glazed pottery. Qt his neck , the king is wearing a wide collar in the image of a falcon, enhanced by blue, turquoise and vermilion glass and at his wrists two engraved bracelets with similar inlay. The surface of the body is entirely decorated with Rishi(feathered motif) protected by the vulture goddess Nekhbet and the winged Uraeus Ouadjet.
- Height 79 cm
- Length 204 cm
- Width 68cm
The mask of the inner coffin is of strikingly beautiful, the most magnificent ever brought to light. It is made of solid beaten gold, decorated by engravings and adorned with inlays. The luminous spirit has travelled the road to the after-world and the expressionless face of the young king looks strangely ethereal. The beard, made separately and fastened to the chin, is inlaid with glass that imitates lapis-lazuli. The king is wearing the Nemes head-dress. The ears cast separately, were covered with gold leaf that masked the pierced holes in each lobe, reminding us that at that period, young boys wore earrings until adolescence. Two heavy necklaces of yellow and red gold beads and of dark blue glazed pottery encircle the neck. The king crosses his arms on his chest in a symbolic gesture representing the power, after death, to drive away evil. He is holding the sceptre Heqa , a symbol of power and authority on the left, and, on the right, the flail to keep away evil spirits. They are covered with gold leaf, dark blue glazed pottery , polychrome glass and cornaline. Under the royal hands, the goddesses NEKHBET and OUADJET, made of gold plate inlaid with red highlighted quartz and lapis-lazuli coloured or turquoise glass, open their wings to protect the chest of the king. Lower down , ISIS and NEPHTHYS spread their protective wings. Two bands of engraved hieroglyphics go down to the feet.
- Height 51 cm
- length 187 cm
- width 51 cm
- weight 110 kg of gold