Burial chamber
The burial chamber of King Tut is the grandest room within the entire tomb. This room was colored a vibrant yellow with paintings of Tutankhamun (King Tut) in various representations. The murals on the wall have been a source of debate as many historians have come to believe they were purposely made large enough to cover the walls of the tomb quickly. Other tombs in the Valley of the Kings had more detailed paintings on the walls. When comparing these depictions to other prominent pharaohs buried in the valley, it leads many historians to believe the tomb burial was rushed.
The burial chamber walls have been divided up into four regions known as the northern wall, eastern wall, southern wall, and western wall. Each one of these walls has different depictions of the pharaoh ranging from his death to his afterlife journey.
The burial chamber of King Tut is the grandest room within the entire tomb. This room was colored a vibrant yellow with paintings of Tutankhamun (King Tut) in various representations. The murals on the wall have been a source of debate as many historians have come to believe they were purposely made large enough to cover the walls of the tomb quickly. Other tombs in the Valley of the Kings had more detailed paintings on the walls. When comparing these depictions to other prominent pharaohs buried in the valley, it leads many historians to believe the tomb burial was rushed.
The burial chamber walls have been divided up into four regions known as the northern wall, eastern wall, southern wall, and western wall. Each one of these walls has different depictions of the pharaoh ranging from his death to his afterlife journey.
Task Instructions:
Look at the pictures of the walls from the burial chamber and answer the following questions. You may visit the below websites for helpful information.
Websites:
Look at the pictures of the walls from the burial chamber and answer the following questions. You may visit the below websites for helpful information.
- For each picture:
- Identify the room, wall/direction (eg North Wall, SE Wall)
- Briefly describe what the scene shows: setting, persons/gods, actions/happenings etc
- Briefly explain (4-6 sentences each wall painting) what it tells us about Tutankhamun’s funerary beliefs and /or practises.
- Why do you think it is important for a Pharaoh to include these images in the burial chamber?
- Research the burial chamber paintings in other 18th Dynasty tombs and compare and contrast them against Tutankhamun’s.
Websites: