Tomb KV 18 is the burial place of Ramesses X and is located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Ramesses X was the second-to-last ruler of the twentieth dynasty in the New Kingdom. The tomb was never completed. It is visited by many tourists every year coming to learn about the history of Egypt and has remained open since antiquity. The tomb lies in the southwest wadi on the west bank at Luxor.
The Tomb's Design
The tomb is not a very splendid one and contains a standard entranceway and two corridors. The entrance features large facades, a typical characteristic seen during the Ramesside period and the size is a little wider than that seen in the previous tombs. The stairway inside the tomb is divided.
Renovation Of The Tomb In Modern Times
Consecutive floods caused massive damage to the structure of tomb KV 18. In 1904 Howard Carter began the renovation work by installing electric lighting installation. The walls were whitewashed and the level base was constructed as a foundation for the equipment. Other renovation work included the construction of the retaining side walls and the chamber. Also, additional roofing was added. The corridor was also re-cut and re-decorated.
Damage Caused By Flooding
Large floods have taken a toll on the outer areas where the beautiful decorations have almost been wiped off. The plaster and paint have completely fallen. The only thing remaining is the design on the left-hand side and modern European graffiti dating from 1623 to 1905. Some traces of the graffiti are also found on the eastern and western walls.
Tomb Decorations
The gate at the entranceway is decorated with an illustration of the sun disk at the horizon, and the king is seen kneeling on both sides of the disc. The corridor has various scenes of Ramesses X worshipping the many deities including ram-headed god and goddesses Isis and Nephthys. Of the little decoration remaining after the flood damage, the left wall of the passage had a rough sketch of Re-Horakhy, while on the right the king is seen in front of Re-Horakhy and Meretseger. The second corridor, however, did not have any kind of decorations on the walls or the ceiling.
The Remains Of Ramesses X
The only artifacts found in the tomb KV 18 were the foundation deposits by Howard Carter. These included blue-glazed tools like a hoe, adze, and yoke. Very little is known about the tomb and the final section has only been recently cleared of flood debris. The tomb is said to have been abandoned since no funerary equipment was found, but it’s still uncertain whether it was really the burial place of Ramesses X. However, his mummy has never been found anywhere else either so many scholars do in fact believe it was his tomb.
