Tomb of Tuthmosis III (KV34)

Entrance of the tomb of Tuthmosis III
Thutmose's tomb (KV34) was discovered by Victor Loret in 1898, in the Valley of the Kings. It uses a plan which is representative of 18th dynasty tombs, with a sharp turn at the foyer preceding the burial chamber. Two stairways and two corridors provide entree to the vestibule which is led by a quadrangular chicane, or "well".

A complete version of Amduat, an serious New Kingdom funerary text, is in the vestibule, taking it the first tomb where Egyptologists got the complete text. The burial chamber, which is held by two pillars, is oval-shaped and its cap adorned with stars, symbolizing the cave of the deity Sokar. In the middle lies a extended red quartzite sarcophagus in the form of a cartouche. On the 2 pillars in the middle of the chamber there are transitions from the Litanies of Re, a text that fetes the later sun deity, who is described with the pharaoh at this time. On the other pillar is a particular image depicting Thutmosis III being breastfeed by the goddess Isis in the pretence of the tree.

The wall decorations are gone in a simple, "diagrammatic" way, imitating the manner of the cursive script one might require to see on a funerary papyrus instead than the more typically lavish wall palms seen on most other royal tomb walls. The colour is likewise muted, executed in simple black figures followed by text on a skim background with highlighting in red and pink. The decorations depict the pharaoh aiding the deities in killing Apep, the snake of chaos, thereby portion to ensure the daily rebirth of the sun as well as the pharaoh's hold resurrection.



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