QV55 - Tomb of Prince Amen(hir)khopshef at The Valley of The Queens .. Part ( 4 )

This tomb lies a little farther on that of Nefertari, and is one which deserves to be seen, as the colour in its scenes has been wonderfully well preserved .

The son of Ramses III for whom it was made is called in all the lists Amen(hir)khopshef ; but strangely enough his name is always written in his tomb without the " hir ", simply as Amenkhopshef . He seems to have died young, as he is represented in the tomb wearing the side-lock of young, though, of course, he has the usual accumulation of titles, and is represented bearing the tall ostrich-feather fan of a " Fan-bearer on the King's right hand " . Ramses III figures in the scenes much more importantly than the young prince, who is introduced by his father to the various gods .

The tomb consists of an outer chamber, with an annexe opening off from it to the right, a corridor, with another annexe to the right, both of these side-chambers being unfinished, and a sanctuary, which is also unfinished . 

We take the first chamber, beginning with the first scenes on the left-hand side of the door, and working round to the door into the corridor . The king, behind whom stands Thoth, embraces Isis (1) . Next, the king followed by the young prince, who bears, as he does throughout the tomb, the ostrich-feather fan, offers incense to Ptah, who is in a shrine (2) .

Farther on, Ramses, again followed by his son, introduces the prince to Ptah, who is shown somewhat unusually as walking and wearing the atef crown (3) .

Then Ramses presents his son to Duamutef (4), and next to Imseti (5), who conducts the pair towards Isis (6), who looks over her shoulder to the advancing king, whom she holds by the hand .

We now return to the entrance and take the right-hand wall . Here, as on the other side, the thickness of the wall shows a kneeling figure of Maet . Then a goddess, partly destroyed, but probably Nephthys, to correspond with Isis on the other side, embraces the king, and strokes his chin with her finger (7) .

The king next introduces his son to Shu, but a part of a scene with a god wearing the Red Crown has been destroyed behind the prince (8) .

Behind the doorway into the annexe, the king ( there was no room for the prince though it was his tomb and not his father's ) is led forward by Qebhsnewef (9) and Hapi (10), and last Ramses and his son are conducted by Hathor (11) .

The thicknesses of the doorway into the inner corridor are occupied by Isis and Nephthys (12,13) . The corridor is adorned with scenes and texts from the Book of Gates .

The chamber opening on the right is, like its predecessor, unfinished and undecorated . Passing the last of the Arits we reach the sanctuary, which, thiugh unfinished and undecorated, contains the granite sarcophagus of the prince .

Part ( 5 ) .. Coming SoOoOon .....

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