THE TRANSVERSE CHAMBER

This chamber includes two wings, right (north) and left (south) whose small width immediately surprises the visitor. By not including the area of the chamber between the entrance and the passageway to the second chamber opposite, each wing only has a length of about 2m and an avarage height of 1.4m.

The ceiling has almost disappeared completely, persisting only as traces in the south wing, where it was asymmetric. A border existed on the right-hand side, consisting of thick lines, whilst on the left side, it is a motif formed from alternating white and yellow squares which touched the vertical wall directly.

THE FRIEZE

This is identical in both wings, occupying a considerable height of the wall. It is composed of four elements:

A representation of the goddess Hathor in the form of a feminine head seen in front view, executed quite well, with the ears of a cow. She wears a crown of feathers and rests on the hieroglyphic sign of "nb".

Three khekeru: these are colourful stylised plant trusses bound together at the top.

A representation of Anubis (see ) in the form of a black jackal, a red ribbon around the neck, with his traditional flagellum seeming to come out of his back. Not quite as common, in front of him is a sekhem sceptre and a Hathoric Menat necklace. He reclines on a highly symbolic representation: usually he is found on the facade of the entry of a tomb, but here the artist combined it with the two mountains of the horizon of the akhet symbol . The deceased enters into his tomb as the sun sets on the western horizon or rises on the eastern one of the sky (the ancient uniquely identified two horizons).

Two columns of text (see ) on a deep yellow background, delimited by red lines, carry formulas of consistent praises of the title and the name of Nakhtamon. Here is found : "For the ka of the unique one, the beloved of his Lord, favoured of Ptah, overseer of the altar, Nakhtamon [justified]" ; "For the ka of the unique one, praised of ? in all his places of eternity, overseer of the altar, Nakhtamon, justified" ; "For the ka of the greatly favoured, the beloved of Ma'at, the Osiris, overseer of the altar, Nakhtamon, justified" ; "The Osiris, overseer of the altar in the house of Usermaatre-Setepenre (who is in the domain of) Amon (to the west of) Thebes (i.e. in the Ramesseum), Nakhtamon, justified".
Above and below this area with these motifs, is a border design. This border is edged with a thick green line edged in black. At the centre is a frequently found pattern of blue, red, green and yellow rectangles, separated by two small white rectangles framing a central small blue one.
On the east wall the height increases from the end wall towards the entry. This was filled by the artist/decorator with a tapering bouquet (see top of , north wing and , south wing). The north version is greatly damaged. On the south side, this bouquet is separated from the frieze by a white chain on a black background, with central red ovals, which extends onto the south wall. This chain is not present on the north side.

THE NORTH WING

The three walls are occupied by a single group of scenes, the whole being edged, below and at the far ends, by a large colourful border design including a central red line, framed by two white lines trimmed by a black line. The three walls are occupied by the presentation of offerings to Ptah-Sokar-Osiris by the deceased, his family and his servants.
Very rare - and maybe after the initial decoration - the artist has added at the bottom of the east and west walls, under the border, two small scenes portraying themes of the earthly agricultural life, as found in the 18th Dynasty and before in the normal decoration. The ground level having being lowered, the water from the occasional rain has nearly destroyed these representations. A full description of these can be found at the bottom of this page.

The west wall

The king and the god

The scene which starts the scenes is on the left of this section of wall. It takes place under a structure of which the roof is topped with a long row of erect uraei with a sun disk on their heads. These are portrayed on a dark red background. The heavy roof itself decorated with four rows of patterns and rests on multicoloured columns with three complicated capitols (papyriform and lotiform) ( of such a composition is on a painted limestone column discovery in a chapel of Medinet Habu, which is currently in the Oriental Institute of Chicago). This building is placed on a raised platform without steps.
The god is designated as "Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, resident in the Shetit shrine, lord of eternity, maker of the everlasting, lord of the Sacred Land". A quick reminder which the first Ramessides had learned from the Amarnian episode which had seen the final victory of the clergy of Amon. They honoured (greatly) the great Theban god, but tried to contain the power of his clergy whilst marking their devotion to other divinities, in particular the solar god Re of Heliopolis, but also Ptah of Memphis (only or in association with Sokar and Osiris).

The god is seated on a throne, cuboid in shape, whose side panel is associated with the classic aspect of a "palace facade". This has a yellow door and at the top of the decorative pattern of rectangular shapes has been added a row of uraei, as above the structure in which he is seated. A red cushion extends over the backrest of the seat. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris has the green skin of the gods of the underworld, appropriate to rebirth. He is clothed in a tight fitting multi-coloured, on a yellow background, garment. His feet rest on a bevelled Ma'at sign. With his right hand he holds the traditional crosier and flail of Osiris, and with the left hand, the was-sceptre. It should be noted that the decorative bull's tail, which would be attached to his belt, worn around his waist, is here seen dangling in front of his legs. On top of his blue and white vertically striped wig he wears a Henu crown (a combination of two ostrich feathers, a pair of ram horns and a central solar disk) usually worn by Osiris or Ptah-Tatenen.

Behind him, where one would normally expect to see a god or a goddess, is an extraordinary representation of Ramesses II, a new example of the constant effort of the Ramesside monarchy to deify the reigning sovereign (see ). The king wears a magnificent long dress made of fine pleated linen, also typical of women of this period. Around his waist, and extending in front of the dress, is a golden fabric belt with added colour. He also has a large golden necklace and golden bracelets. He has white sandals. With one hand, he holds the crosier across his chest, with the other he holds a club. Three things are very interesting: his neck has three lines (wrinkles), indicating age, his chin is unshaven, and he wears the blue Khepresh crown.
 The natural beard: other examples are found on ostraca from Deir el Medineh, notably the ostracon DeM2568 which shows the same association, and of the tears flowing from the king's eye, or the one which is located at ). Mrs. Desroches-Noblecourt showed well that the growing of the natural beard was reserved for the periods of mourning, more precisely at the period between death and the funeral. On the day of funeral ceremony, all male participants shaved, mourning was finished.
 The natural beard and blue crown : Mathieu, followed by Obsomer, passed the following comments: regarding the beard: "Some portraits on ostraca are precisely attributable to this transitional period between advent and coronation (…) the Pharaoh observes the mourning of his predecessor of whom the funeral ceremony, at the end of the seventy days (the usual time of mummification) are not even accomplished"; and regarding the blue crown: "one of the functions of this crown, during the Ramesside dynasties, if it was not already in the 18th Dynasty, was to characterise iconographically the sovereign at the time of his accession to the throne, to make a commitment in the official ceremonies of the coronation".

From this, the scene can probably be interpreted as: the seated god, transformed from being wrapped in his bandages, is king Sethy I in front of his funeral ceremony. He is protected by his son Ramesses II, the new Horus who is going to take his place (which will be seen in an exceptional scene on the south wall). The son's succession is immediate (there is no gap in the royal function), but the coronation is later.

In front of the protective kiosk

Here is a mass of various food offerings resting on four golden offering stands, decorated with a garland of flowers and from where hangs clusters of grapes. At the top has been placed a bouquet between two white bowls, possibly containing the incense. Two large upright dark green columns frame the offerings, but only the base of the one on right remains visible on the junction with the north wall. According to Davies, they are not really columns, but are three stems of papyrus between which have been inserted poppies and a floral garland. The accompanying text states: "Offering all manner of good and pure oblations, bread, (crocks of) beer, (heads of) livestock, waterfowl, cool water, wine, milk, clothing, ointments, […] all manner of good and pure vegetables, all manner of foods, delicacies and sweets on which a god lives and that the Nile brings from its cavern. They are pure for [……]".

The north wall

After the rounded corner adjoining the east wall, the previous scene is continued on the north wall. However, most of the decoration has been lost (see ), which originally portrayed Nakhtamon organising and perhaps dedicating the offerings seen on the east wall, and perhaps others. Behind him advances a character whose identity is lost, probably the deceased's son. He is clothed in a long loincloth, wearing white sandals whose tips bend slightly upwards (it would be necessary to wait for the reign of Ramesses III so that they would look like the spiked shoes of our Middle Ages). He wears a necklace and bracelets. He holds out in front of him two platters on which is an unknown substance, perhaps incense. Behind him, piled on a white wooden table, are several platters with baskets of figs and grapes, whilst, according to Davies, on top are two more platters one containing incense in grains and cast into the shape of a small calf, which can be seen outlined in red on the orange pile behind it. At the foot of the table stand four amphoras probably containing wine. These are enclosed by a colourful band. Only the end of the accompanying text has survived: "[…] pure [for the ka] of Osiris, who is foremost of the west, lord of the sacred land, lord of the Shetit shrine, that he may give to you (sic) bread and air (sic), cool water, wine and milk, for the Osiris, Nakhtamon". It should be noted that the text is extended at the bottom of one of the columns, with the hieroglyphs for "west" ("imnty"), below the yellow area in which it was destined to be. Also, the last column is actually on the north wall and is on a white background; stating "for the Osiris, Nakhtamon".

The east wall

On the two registers, in which the wall is divided, are the characters who escort and help Nakhtamon in his function. As often described in other tombs, this is not necessarily about normal servants, but those of a higher status, because here, in the bottom register, are found the son and one of the deceased's brothers. All participants wear a long garment made of fine pleated linen, extending from the waist and varying in length. They all have a shaven skull and an usekh-necklace, some with bracelets.

Upper register

Upright papyrus stems have been placed in front of each character, although not the two butchers, who have one behind the one on the left. Even though apparently growing from the ground they seem to only have small leaves, which are in fact stylised bindweeds (why? See the article ).

The scene of butchery includes three participants. The carcass of headless ox lies on the ground and the butcher-in-chief is cutting a leg at the joint, assisted by a helper who pulls the lower limb towards him. Both butchers have a white apron stained with blood. It should be noted that only the chief wears bracelets and a necklace. Above them are eleven short columns of text on a yellow background: "[An offering] pure [given to Osiris Wen]nefer, [lord of eternity, ] who establishes the everlasting. That (he) may give you (sic!) bread and breath (?), for the Ka of the Osiris, the overseer of the altar, Nakhtamon, justified; by his brother, the chief of the butchers of the house of Usermaatre-Setepenre, Petresemhebsed ("ptr-s-m-Hb-sd" = "Seeing himself at the Sed-festival) , justified". To the left of them, a man carries away, on his head, the freshly cut pieces of meat towards the altar (see the full image of the wall, above right).

On the right, four characters advance. They are all clothed in a long garment made of fine pleated linen, of which the upper part is orange in colour. They don't carry much (but neither do the columns for text above them) which is confirm by the text above them, which is reduced to "A ritual offering to Osiris", followed by 24 empty columns. The first man holds in his left hand a flat baton which indicates that his function was guard of the door. The second brings figs and cucumbers in a beautiful dish, which the artist has represented on edge, so that the details can be seen (see ). The third holds under his armpit a broom made from plant fibres; he will be the last to leave, erasing behind him any traces of the others, so that nothing comes to disturb the god's peacefulness in his shrine. The last is again a guard of the door.

Bottom register

(see )

Seven characters advance toward the altar; all are named, their names being preceded with the epithet "servant", but as stated previously these of a higher rank than normal servants.

First man: "The servant of Nakhtamon, his son, his beloved, (beloved) of his body, Amenabu". He holds in his left hand a bouquet and a sort of pouch.

Second man: (see ) carries an amphora with a white rim and surrounded by a garland. The accompanying text states: "Words spoken by the servant Tjenersethy to the overseer of the altar, Nakhtamon: 'one is delighted (to see) your face, who lives (among those who receive) praise' ".

Third man: "The servant Anherneheh" has his chest and left shoulder wrapped in white fabric. He holds in his left hand an upright bouquet.

Fourth man: designated as "The servant of the alter. Amenheriib", he was the brother of Nakhtamon. With one hand he holds an enormous erect bouquet, with the other the stems of lotus.

The fifth and sixth men: represent two men with an extraordinary cranial distortion, certainly a voluntary distortion and performed on a young child. It is a reminder, but more accentuated, of some representations of the Amarnian period (see ). This type of distortion, excessively rare in the tombs, remains significantly obscure. The 5th character holds an upright bouquet; he is identified as "the servant Petjiabaal", a name of Syro-Palestinian origin. The 6th, who has his hands held together and his mouth open, is "the singer of the house of Usermaatre in (the domain of) Amon, Nesutniut, justified".

The seventh man: belongs to the temple of Ptah-Sokar. He is represented strangely, with very short arms and, it seems, a hump on his back. He is also a singer, he is "the singer of Ptah-Sokar, Neferaha". He gives rhythm to his monotonous chant whilst clapping his hands.

Behind the two singers are two seated musicians, who also belong to the temple of Ptah-Sokar. Whilst singing, the first plays a stringed instrument resembling a lute. Its case is bluish and its golden handle ends in the shape of the head of a solar falcon. Two small decorative cords hang from the handle. Behind him, another smaller character sings whilst keeping the rhythm by clapping his hands.
Above them are columns of text which constitute their monotonous chant: "Beautiful are your offerings, O king Usermaatre-Setepenre, son of Ramesses, gifted of life, for infinite time and eternal time. A thousand breads, (crocks of) beer, heads of livestock, waterfowl, pure incense, (crocks) of wine, milk, pieces of cloth, (jars of) oils, all pure fresh vegetables, all provisions provided to the god who is in the middle (of the others). For the Ka of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris who resides in the Shetit shrine with the Ennead. That you protect the king, master of the Two Lands, Usermaatre-Setepenre, the son of Re, lord of crowns, lord of all foreign lands, Ramesses, gifted of life for eternity. That you accept him, favour him, love him, place him with you for eternity. Rich offerings being brought to your temple every day".

SMALL SCENES ADDED UNDER THE BOTTOM BANNER

These exist below the triple band at the bottom of the east and west walls, in the section between the passageways and the flat bench at the north end of the wing. This area would normally be undecorated, forming a dado protection layer. No photos are available of these scenes which were very damaged by the penetration of water and only the line drawing of Davies exist. They represent agricultural scenes, inconsistent in this context and in this situation. Perhaps Nakhtamon had the responsibility of some agricultural lands in the setting of his function, or on a plot of land belonging him?

On the east side (see ), which is difficult to fully identify, but is possibly the planting of corn. On the right, men are clearing away the bushes. Behind them is a plough pulled by a team of oxen. At the top of the image are bags of seed among the shrubs, whilst next to the plough is possibly a woman casting it.

On the west side (), on the left, Nakhtamon, with a special linen (sS (d) ) head covering (an image which will be discussed later, at the end of page 4, in the section about the north part of the east wall), supervises the harvesting of the wheat, as a landowner should do. In front of him is a plentiful supply of water containers. On the right, some men cut the harvest which was then placed on the back of a donkey, for transportation towards a place of storage surrounded by a fence.