Amenhotep III

Amenhotep III (also known as Amenophis III) was the son of Thutmosis IV and the father of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV). He reigned during the latter part of the 18th Dynasty. He became pharaoh at around the age of 12 years. Amenhotep-Heqawaset was his birth name, meaning "Amun is Pleased, Ruler of Thebes". His throne name was Neb-maat-re, meaning "Lord of Truth is Re". His reign (of 36-40 years, depending on the source you use) was peaceful and prosperous. Which a lack of military activity, this became a period of artistic creativity, with some of the largest and most impressive monuments of the New Kingdom.

His mortuary temple, on the west bank, is the largest single temple known. However, all that remains of it today are the two huge statues, the "Colossi of Memnon". His palace of Malkata, situated south of the temple, is still impressive today even though it is in ruins. This is the largest royal residence known to us. Its walls and ceilings being plastered and painted in vivid colours.

His building work wasn't restricted to the west bank, for he was responsible, on the east bank, for the erection of the temple of Luxor and the long colonnade joining it to the temple complex of Karnak. He also made many additions to the temple complex at Karnak.

Considering these monuments to his building success, it is a pity that the only thing to show of his tomb today, in the West Valley of the Kings, is an unimposing, and often unnoticed hole in the ground; no grand entrance like that of Tutankhamun and others. The Great Royal wife of Amenhotep III was Tiy, mother of Akhenaten. She was the daughter of Yuya and Tuya. He also married his daughter Sitamon. It is believed that he had in excess of 300 wives.

Amenhotep chose for his final resting place, a location halfway into the Western Valley of the Kings, on the left hand side and away from the cliff face, and is known as KV22 (or WV22). Officially it was originally discovered by two French engineers of Napoleon Bonaparte's expedition, Jollois and Devilliers, who excavated and charted the tomb. No records were kept of Theodore M. Davis' excavations between 1905 and 1914, but he partially cleared it. This was resumed, and completed, by Howard Carter in February-March 1915. 

The Egyptian Archaeological Mission of Waseda University (of Japan) worked in the tomb (see restoration sign) from September 1989; work has currently ceased. During that time a short preliminary report was published on the Internet. Since then, and available on-line, a full printed report was published for UNESCO, in 2004; but be aware, this is a very large 51Mb download in PDF format. It contains many photographs of the conservation work carried out in phases one and two of the work. Further conservation work is still required. In particular the structure of the tomb still needs to be stabalised. One of the pillars and a retaining wall have large cracks; unless these are dealt with, the tomb will remain in a seriously dangerous condition. 

It is especially regrettable that the tomb now remains closed to the visitors.

From material, baring the name of his father Thutmosis IV, found in the foundation deposits, it would appear the tomb was started by him. However, it was completed and decorated by Amenhotep III. The wives, Tiy and Sitamon, were possibly to have been buried here. The sarcophagus was removed during some period in antiquity. The mummy of the king was moved, along with others, to the KV35 cache, during the reign of Smendes. There is evidence of Third Intermediate Period intrusive burials; fragments of a wooden coffin being found in the well chamber.

The tomb is, in many respects, like that of his father, tomb KV43. His father's tomb also exhibits two changes of direction in axis, but unlike KV43 this tomb changes first left then right (KV43 are both to the left).

Other differences include the fact that the burial chamber is undecorated and the addition of two large side chambers off the burial chamber. Both of these are supported by a single pillar and each have their own side chamber. They were probably intended for his wives Tiy and Sitamon, although there is no evidence that they were actually buried there. Also, at the bottom of the well shaft, the chamber extends in the direction of the entrance, this being the opposite to that of KV43.

The entry corridors and well chamber have a general east to west axis. This then changes, at the upper pillared hall through 90° (to the left) and proceeds in this (south - north) direction to the antechamber. On entering the burial chamber, the axis then changes through 90° again (but to the right), the burial chamber, with its pillared hall being restored to its east to west orientation.

The tomb descends approximately 24 metres from the entrance to the burial chamber (sarcophagus section) floor, a journey of about 90 metres (not including the rear pillared chamber and its side chamber).

The current entrance to the tomb of Amenhotep, well known for the grandeur of his building accomplishments, is unimposing and could easily be missed if no-one else is around.

The tomb is entered down a steep flight of steps (A). These lead into a moderately inclined corridor (B). This is followed by yet another steep stairway (C) of 16 steps. Yet another moderately inclined corridor (D) finally leads into a "well chamber" (E).

The journey of about 36 metres has descended to a depth of nearly 14 metres. These entry stairways, corridors and intermediate gateways (including that into the well chamber) are completely undecorated.

This chamber has a well shaft, from which it gets it name. Its original purpose is still uncertain and may have been symbolically connected to Nun and the primordial ocean. If it was only intended to be a safeguard against the rare but violent rains, then the reason for the room at the bottom of the shaft would be strange. If it was there to help deter tomb robbers, it was obviously unsuccessful.

The chamber and well shaft are 4.4m wide by 3.6m in length. The ceiling of the upper area of the well chamber is 2.5m above what would be floor level, while the well shaft is approximately 5.9m below this level.

At the bottom of the shaft is an undecorated chamber (Ea), accessed from the east wall of the shaft. It is about 5m wide at its entrance end and 3.5m at the far end, its left side being a very strange shape. It is over 6m in length with a ceiling height of about 2.5m.

Returning to the normal floor level; the doorway at the rear (west) wall of this well chamber was sealed immediately after the burial of Amenhotep. This thin wall was then covered with stucco and quickly painted.

Only three walls are decorated, the left (north) wall, the right (south) wall and the rear (east) wall facing the visitor on entry.

Each wall is topped with the classic kheker frieze on a yellow-ochre background, separated from the major scenes with an outlined band of coloured rectangles, this also extends down the ends of the wall. Running along the top, above all of the scenes the full length of the wall, is the sky hieroglyph.

The wall area for the scenes had first been given a coat of blue-grey wash, a background colour which next appears in the tomb of Horemheb (KV57) and in the tomb of Ramesses I . Other tombs of this period used a yellow-ochre background. In each individual scene Amenhotep is presided over by the winged vulture goddess of protection, Nekhbet, carrying a shen-sign of eternity in her talons. Under the scenes is a border of red and yellow stripes, placed some distance above floor level.

The ceiling is decorated with yellow stars on a dark blue background, see view above exit doorway.

This wall contains four scenes. Starting from the entry end and proceeding into the tomb, the first shows Amenhotep accompanied by his father's ka embraced by Hathor. The remaining three (in turn) show him receiving life from Anubis, the Western Goddess and finally Osiris.

A rectangular section at lower middle of the wall has been left intentionally unrestored by the Japanese team in order to see the previous state of decay.

The head (a square area) of the second occurrence of Amenhotep III was removed in the 19th century. Three such sections are now in the Louvre museum (see below

This wall contains six scenes. Starting from the entry end and proceeding into the tomb, the first shows Amenhotep receiving life from Hathor. The remaining scenes show him (in turn) with Nut, receiving life from the Western Goddess, with Anubis and Hathor (again) and finally receiving life from Osiris.

As with the north wall of the well chamber, a rectangular section (upper left) has been left intentionally unrestored by the Japanese team in order to see the previous state of decay

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