“Seti I” was buried in one of the most colorful royal tombs in Egypt; A tomb that has various details and carvings used in the entrance hall to its burial room. Perhaps one of the important differences between this tomb and other places with a similar history in Egypt is the empty coffin of the pharaoh at the time of the discovery of this tomb.
Among the entrance ways of the “Valley of the Kings” tombs, there is a structure known as “KV17” among researchers. This structure, which makes Egyptologists’ hearts beat faster, is a tomb built for Seti I, a pharaoh who died in 1279 BC. When this tomb was discovered in 1817 AD, the painted walls depicting religious beliefs through the images of the pharaoh and the gods of ancient Egypt surprised the explorers.
Despite those efforts to hide the tombs and the objects that were placed in them, most of the tombs, with the exception of Tutankhamen’s tomb, were significantly looted, of which Seti I was one of them. Was.
Despite those efforts to hide the tombs and the objects that were placed in them, most of the tombs, with the exception of Tutankhamen’s tomb, were significantly looted, of which Seti I was one of them. Was.
When Giovanni Belzoni, an Italian adventurer and former circus member, entered Egypt in 1815, the country was under British control. Despite Belzoni’s identity as a combination of explorer and tomb robber, the British consul enlisted his services to help transport the colossal head statue of Ramesses II to Alexandria, eventually sending it to the British Museum in London. Belzoni also became embroiled in a conflict with the French consul, who had employed gangs of tomb robbers to track down antiquities.
In order to overtake his rival, Belzoni became friends with the local people near the Valley of the Kings. Thanks to their information, he got to know about this area. Of course, Belzoni was really interested in archeology. After examining the topography of the valley, he came to the conclusion that the rapid drainage of rainwater can indicate the presence of hidden holes.
Research about this tomb continued until the next century. In 1903, Howard Carter, who discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922, examined Seti I’s tomb again. A century later, “Zahi Hawass” – an Egyptian archaeologist – finally fully explored a tunnel near the staircase that “Belzoni” had discovered. “Havas” found that this tunnel suddenly ends after 240 meters and concluded that this tunnel was probably supposed to connect the burial chamber to the realm of the dead.
Since the first excavation of Belzoni, the tomb has been exposed to various elements and human visitation has damaged it. However, efforts have been made to preserve and maintain the tomb of “Seti 1”; In 2016, “Factum Foundation” used the latest technology to scan and photograph the entire structure of the tomb, in order to protect and study its artworks, to make accurate copies, which by printing them can make a A similar example should be created from the tomb. After this replica was made in real dimensions, it was possible for visitors to experience the presence of the magnificent tomb of the pharaoh without entering the original tomb.
The entrance to the “Seti I” tomb leads to a series of corridors and chambers. The walls of the chambers near the entrance are decorated with countless works of art and include special burial texts centered on “Ra” – the sun god of the ancient Egyptians. One of these texts is the “Book of Amdwat” belonging to “New Kingdom” which narrates the adventures of “Ra”. Visitors to this mausoleum pass through three corridors by going down a few steps.
Going down the stairs and exiting the pillared room, one can see a hallway whose walls show “Seti I” in front of a table full of offerings. In the next stage, there is an antechamber with a starry sky painted on the ceiling. After the antechamber, it is time for the main burial place, which was built for the pharaoh’s mummy. This room is divided into two parts. It was under the vaulted ceiling of this room that Belzoni found the empty coffin of Seti I. Some believe that looters in ancient times were discouraged from removing the sarcophagus due to its huge dimensions.
A long mysterious passage leads down from the burial chamber of Seti I, and for nearly two centuries, no one knew its path. Previously, it was believed that this tunnel might reach the original location of the pharaoh’s mummy.
Finally, in 2007, a group of archaeologists led by “Zahi Hawass” cleared the ruins that were accumulated at the end of this mysterious tunnel. In 2010, it became clear that this tunnel ends suddenly and has no specific destination. Havas believes that this tunnel was built to connect the tomb to the underworld, but its excavation was abandoned after the death of Seti I.
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