KV 1 (Rameses VII)
 

General Site Information
Structure: KV 1
Location: Valley of the Kings, East Valley, Thebes West Bank, Thebes
Owner: Rameses VII
Other designations: 1 [Hay], 1 [Lepsius], 7 [Champollion], A [Pococke], Ier Tombeau à l'ouest [Description], O [Burton]
Site type: Tomb

Description

The entrance is cut into the base of a hill at the end of the first northwest branch wadi. This unfinished tomb comprises an open entryway ramp (A), corridor B, vaulted burial chamber J, and an unfinished chamber (K) with a rear recess. The walls are decorated with excerpts from the Book of Gates (chamber K), Book of Caverns (corridor B), Book of the Earth (burial chamber J), Opening of the Mouth ritual (corridor B), and the deceased with deities (corridor B, chamber K, burial chamber J). The ceilings are painted with motifs of flying vultures and astronomical figures. There are 135 Greek, and several demotic, Coptic, and nineteenth century graffiti in the tomb, indicating that KV 1 has been accessible since antiquity.

Noteworthy features

The conversion of the second corridor to a burial chamber is noteworthy. Its central two-tiered pit in the floor, provided with canopic jar niches in the sides, is unique.

The figure of the king with the goddesses adoring the sun disk on the outer lintel of gate B is a first.

This is one of the latest tombs to be cut in a side wadi. It was used as a dwelling by Coptic monks.

Site History
At the time of the king's death in his seventh regnal year, work on the tomb's third corridor (now chamber K) was abandoned and the second corridor was enlarged and became burial chamber J. A break in the end of the granite pit cover was made by robbers to gain access to the burial. The tomb was used by Christian monks or hermits as a dwelling.

Dating
This site was used during the following period(s):
New Kingdom, Dynasty 20, Rameses VII
Byzantine Period
Graeco-Roman Era

History of Exploration
Pococke, Richard (1737-1738): Mapping/planning
Napoleonic Expedition (1799): Mapping/planning (plan and section, and recording of decoration details)
Burton, James (1825): Mapping/planning
Wilkinson, John Gardner (1825-1828): Visit
Hay, Robert (1825-1835): Mapping/planning (drawings of tomb and sarcophagus)
Lane, Edward William (1826-1827): Visit
Franco-Tuscan Expedition (1828-1829): Epigraphy
Lepsius, Carl Richard (1844-1845): Epigraphy
Ayrton, Edward Russell (1906): Excavation (reopening of the tomb and removal of the coffin containing the mummy of Rameses VII to the Cairo Museum, filled in entrance to tomb, the location of which was then forgotten)
Service des Antiquités (1952 (or later)): Excavation
Piankoff, Alexandre (1958): Photography
Brock, Edwin C. (1983-1984, 1990, 1994): Excavation (search of burial pit, dump, and foundation deposit for the Royal Ontario Museum)

Conservation
 -  Conservation history: In 1994, the Supreme Council of Antiquities cleaned the tomb's walls and filled cracks in walls and ceiling with plaster. Some ancient graffiti were covered over in the process. In the same year, the Supreme Council of Antiquities created a walkway from the paved road to the tomb entrance and built a wood shelter with cement benches nearby. A wooden floor, railings, and large glass panels have been installed throughout the tomb.
 -  Site condition: There are major cracks in the walls and ceilings of corridor B. The plaster is intact where it is not damaged by cracks, vandalism, or later graffiti. The paint is in good condition, although much blue pigment has fallen away.

Printable Tomb Drawings

Axis in degrees: 327.72
Axis orientation: Northwest

Site Location
Latitude: 25.44 N
Longitude: 32.36 E
Elevation: 171.219 msl
North: 99,803.743
East: 94,006.256
JOG map reference: NG 36-10
Modern governorate: Qena (Qina)
Ancient nome: 4th Upper Egyptian
Surveyed by TMP: Yes

Measurements
Maximum height: 4.25 m
Minimum width: 2.74 m
Maximum width: 5.17 m
Total length: 44.3 m
Total area: 163.56 m²
Total volume: 463.01 m³

Additional Tomb Information
Entrance location: End of spur
Owner type: King
Entrance type: Ramp
Interior layout: Corridor and chambers
Axis type: Straight

Decoration
Grafitti
Painting
Sunk relief

Categories of Objects Recovered
Architectural elements
Domestic equipment
Furniture
Tomb equipment
Vegetal remains
Vessel stands
Written documents