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 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 a short one. The name of his throne 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 and has remained open for visitors since antiquity. The tomb, however, was cleared by Howard Carter 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 corridors that are long and lead into a room with a well. The well room is followed by a hall with four pillars that leads into a burial chamber where Seti II’s sarcophagus was found.
The simple construction and unfinished state reflect the chaotic environment during Seti II's reign. The Burial Chamber of the Tomb was at first intended to be a normal corridor but it was later adapted as a burial chamber with almost no changes made in the initial plan.
Decoration Inside The Tomb
Decorations of this tomb were never fully completed, however there are many scenes of the king with deities and also his wife in different realities. The carving at many places is not completed and some scenes are just in the preliminary stage which are 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 walls of the chamber are roughly painted with deities and with text from the Book of the Gates. The ceiling, on the other hand, 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 that were found in KV35’s cache. This sarcophagus is considered to be the smallest of any New Kingdom sarcophagus ever discovered. The top of the lid was missing, along with the face of the King, 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.
