Mentuherkhepshef was the son of Ramesses IX and is said to have been the only prince after the sons of Ramesses II to have a burial place in a decorated royal tomb at the Valley of the Kings. His Tomb KV19 is believed to have been intended for Ramesses Setherkhepshef who was to be crowned as Ramesses VII, but later on, it became the property and resting place of Mentuherkhepshef.
About The Tomb
KV19 lies unfinished in the Valley of the Kings, at the start of the second eastern branch of the main wadi on the west bank at Luxor. The last corridor was converted into a burial chamber which was cut inside the floor and covered with stone slabs. Giovanni Belzoni discovered the tomb in 1817. Had it been finished, KV 19 would have been a substantial tomb, especially considering the gates and corridors are the widest of any tomb in the valley. The unfinished condition, however, is a benefit in the sense that it allows people to learn about the various stages of the ancient work of the quarrymen and stonemasons by seeing the unfinished process.
Decorations Inside The Tomb
The tomb features fewer decorations than many others in the valley. Mentuherkhepshef is shown alone without being escorted by his father. The corridor has decorations of text in red and black text in three columns inside. Beneath the texts are pairs of fire-spitting cobras depicting Isis and Nepthys on one side and Serget and Neit on the other. The decoration depicts the excellent work of the people who made the same. There are texts from the Book of the Dead seen on the walls of the corridor. A peculiar feature is the detailed costumes of the devotees, a figure of Thoth is shown wearing a belt whose buckle has the cartouche of King Ramesses IX. Other scenes include the tomb owner paying worship to several deities such as Osiris, Khonsu, Thoth, and Ptah.
Discoveries Inside KV19
Only a few pieces of funerary equipment were found inside the tomb and very little was recovered. Fragments of objects made from black stone depicting a part of a sarcophagus most probably were found. Foundation deposits near the entry were found including ostraca, faience, and calcite plagues, which bared the name of Ramesses IV. A limestone plague bearing the name of Ramesses X was also found. Fragments of limestone stela could also be seen. Remains of multiple intrusive burials by Belzoni were later found. The number of mummies which the tomb contained still remains uncertain. However, the carnage style indicates that the bodies belong to people from the 22nd dynasty in Egypt. KV19 is believed to have been built for Ramesses Setherkhepshef who was also recognized by the name Ramesses VII, but later on, it became the property of Mentuherkhepshef and the findings to depict this as well.
