Seti II tomb

Seti II tomb

Seti II Userkheperure Setepenre was the son of King Merenptah and Queen Isonofret. He reigned during unsettled times in ancient Egypt, which is reflected in his tomb. Seti II's tomb is referred to as KV 15 and is located in the Valley of the Kings. The temporary usurpation of the throne by Amenmeses made the reign of Seti an unsettled and short one. His throne name was Userkheperure Setepenre, which meant "Powerful are the Manifestations of Re" and "Chosen by Re." The wife of Seti I was Tausert, who was buried in tomb KV 14 near his burial place.

The Tomb Of Seti II

KV15 is 298 meters long and has remained open for visitors since antiquity. However, Howard Carter cleared the tomb in the early 20th century. The entrance measures 88 meters and is cut directly into the cliff. The tomb follows a simple construction plan and has an entry corridor followed by three long corridors that lead into a room with a well. The sound room is followed by a hall with four pillars that leads into a burial chamber where Seti II's coffin was found.
The simple construction and unfinished state reflect the chaotic environment during Seti II's reign. The Burial Chamber of the Tomb was initially intended to be a standard corridor but was later adapted as a burial chamber with almost no changes in the initial plan.

Decoration Inside The Tomb

The decorations of this tomb were never fully completed. However, there are many scenes of the King with deities and his wife in different realities. The carving at many places still needs to be completed, and some scenes are just in the preliminary stage, just sketches done in red paint. Text from the Litany of Re, Book of the Gates, and Amdywat adorns the walls of the chambers.
The chamber walls are roughly painted with deities and text from the Book of the Gates. On the other hand, the ceiling is decorated with a winged figure of the goddess Nut. The ceilings in the outer chambers are decorated with colored panels depicting vultures with wings spread. These scenes clearly show how skillful the artists were during that time in carving and painting the royal tombs.

More About KV15

It's said that the mummy of Seti II was removed from the tombs during antiquity and is among those found in KV35's cache. This coffin is considered the smallest New Kingdom sarcophagus ever discovered. The top of the lid and the face of the king were missing, but the head of the goddess Nut is currently on display in the Egyptian collection at the Louvre in Paris.
The tomb of Seti II can currently be visited by tourists coming to the Valley of the Kings.