Tuesday, January 1, 2008

A Visit with the Mummy from the Tomb of Seti II

Visitors to the tombs of the kings at Thebes rarely suspect they will be seeing Egypt's pharaonic dead. However, there are a number of mummies remaining in the Biban al Molouk including the young prince in the tomb of Thutmose IV possibly the prince Amenemhet.

When found the prince was standing up apparently to the amusement of the ancient robbers who entered the tomb before the priests came to remove the mummy of the king. These priests left the prince in his side room and sealed the tomb, The tomb was never entered again until finding by Howard Carter.

There are of course the two ladies in tomb KV21 but they are not on view and the tomb is inaccessible. Yes, King Tut is accessible but only to 400 viewers a day and KV 35 has a boy and a mummy of great controversy. But few are expecting a mummy in the tomb of the nineteenth dynasty King Seti II. Nothing is known as to whom he is but be for certain he was of importance in life perhaps a Vizier or a Son of Kush.

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