d of the sarcophagus is a single
lamp, and, when the party of visitors is collected in silence around the
place of death, all the lights are turned out, and then the single
light is switched on, showing the royal head illuminated against the
surrounding blackness. The effect is indescribably weird and impressive.
The body has only twice been removed from the tomb since its burial, the
second time when it was for a brief space taken up into the sunlight to
be photographed by Mr.. Carter, in January, 1902. The temporary removal
was carefully carried out, the body of his Majesty being borne up
through the passages of the tomb on the shoulders of the Italian
electric light workmen, preceded and followed by impassive Arab
candle-bearers. The workmen were most reverent in their handling of the
body of "_ il gran re_," as they called him.
In the tomb were found some very interesting objects, including a model
boat (afterwards stolen), across which lay the body of a woman. This
body now lies, with others found close by, in a side chamber of the
tomb. One may be that of Hatshepsu. The walls of the tomb-chamber are
painted to resemble papyrus, and on them are written chapters of the
"Book of What Is in the Underworld," for the guidance of the royal
ghost.
In 1902-3 Mr. Theodore Davis excavated the tomb of Thothmes IV. It
yielded a rich harvest of antiquities belonging to the funeral state of
the king, including a chariot with sides of embossed and gilded leather,
decorated with representations of the king's warlike deeds, and much
fine blue pottery, all of which are now in the Cairo Museum. The
tomb-gallery returns upon itself, describing a curve. An interesting
point with regard to it is that it had evidently been violated even in
the short time between the reigns of its owner and Horem-heb, probably
in the period of anarchy which prevailed at Thebes during the reign
of the heretic Akhunaten; for in one of the chambers is a hieratic
inscription recording the repair of the tomb in the eighth year of
Horemheb by Maya, superintendent of works in the Tombs of the Kings. It
reads as follows: "In the eighth year, the third month of summer, under
the Majesty of King Tjeser-khepru-Ra Sotp-n-Ra, Son of the Sun, Horemheb
Meriamen, his Majesty (Life, health, and wealth unto him!) commanded
that orders should be sent unto the Fanbearer on the King's Left Hand,
the King's Scribe and Overseer of the Treasury, the Overseer of the
Works in
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