Egypt and Libya, March 19 - April 2, 2006 / 20060323b_DSMGuide_TombOfRamsesIV
Ruth Milner, rmilner plus web at bookofmarvels dot net
This is the entrance
to the tomb of Ramses IV (ruled 1153-1147BC), the first one we went into.
A standard ticket allows you to choose
three tombs from whichever ones are open that day; they are closed on a
rotating basis to minimize damage through exposure. Again we were told
no cameras allowed, but again I think this is just a question of getting
an additional camera ticket.
The first part of the corridor in this tomb,
which felt airy even though it was smaller than the Great Pyramid's and
you are walking into a mountain, is smoothly plastered, then carved and
painted with small, detailed hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics form a phonetic
alphabet, with each symbol representing a particular sound or combination
of sounds. The symbols use many birds, animals, and plants familiar from
everyday life in ancient Egypt. They were not deciphered until after the
discovery of the Rosetta Stone. As you descend further, the walls are
painted with scenes of the pharaoh and the gods, his victories and
greatness. Even the ceiling is painted, especially in the burial chamber
where the goddess Nut is depicted holding up the sky and the stars. All
this for a pharaoh who reigned only 7 years!
