Pharaoh Seti I's grave is bigger than people think

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered that the pharaoh's tomb is powerful Seti I - the largest tomb in the Valley of the Kings - bigger than anyone ever thought.

During a recent excavation, the group found that the tomb was actually about 136m long. Giovanni Battista Belzoni, who discovered the tomb in 1817, recorded that the tomb is 100m long.

According to Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Ancient Antiquities (SCA), 'This is the largest tomb and the longest tunnel ever discovered in the Valley of the Kings.'

'Until now, we have not found the end of the tunnel.'

Detecting new parts of a tomb that was previously discovered is rare, although it has also happened.

For example, in 1995, American archaeologist Kent Weeks excavated the grave of KV5 containing sons of Ramses II - son of Seti I - and discovered it was larger than expected, with countless tunnels and more than 100 spaces. small room.

The tomb of Seti I, the ruler of Egypt from 1313 to 1292 BC - the pinnacle of artistic achievement - was impressive not only in size but also in art on the wall. But its size can expand further through future surveys.

According to Mansour Boraik, Director of Luxor Antiquities, 'The ancient Egyptians never built anything without a plan, not a target, so I think that the tunnel in Seti I's tomb will lead to a something important. '

Flooded by the flood

Archaeologists also discovered clay jars, debris painted walls and a quartz ushabti statue - a type of statue used in funerals - in the process of searching for artifacts and cleaning up pieces broken.

According to archaeologist W. Raymond Johnson, director of the Insight Research Agency at the University of Chicago's Institute of Oriental Studies, these objects could be swept into the tunnel during floods that began in the dynasty. 21, between 1090 and 945 BC.

He pointed out that pharaohs from the 21st century onwards exploited materials from the tombs of their predecessors to build their own royal tombs.

In the process, they wrapped their bodies and buried their dead in secret little tombs, as was the case with Amenhotep II, near the site of Seti I.

They also filled deep tunnels often cut into the base of the tomb behind the corridor on Monday. These tunnels - known as wells - are filled to make it easier to remove heavy objects from the grave.

These tunnels can serve a ceremonial purpose to establish a direct connection with the afterlife, but also have practical benefits: protecting the tomb from flooding.

'These tunnels will catch rainwater if rainwater enters the grave. They will catch rainwater before the water reaches the burial chamber and lead the water down. But many tunnels are filled to pull out the sarcophagus and not clear the old way. '

That makes graves vulnerable to flooding due to rain. Other locations in the Valley of the Kings, such as KV5 and the grave of Ramses II, show signs of flooding.

After a torrential rain in 1994, the SCA built protective barriers right in front of all the graves to protect them from rain.

The quartz ushabti statue was recently discovered in the tomb of pharaoh Seti I, who ruled Egypt from 1313 to 1292 BC.The tombs often contain a statue of this type, intended to serve the pharaohs in eternal life every day.These statues carved from wood, snow-flower plaster and limestone often have cross-handed posture.The inscription on the statue explains their purpose.(Photo: Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities)

Ancient Egyptian team

Items found in Seti tombs may have been swept into the tunnel long before the annexed room next to the tomb collapsed during the excavation of the Abdul Rasul family nearly 50 years ago.

Until the current excavation work, this grave is thought to be too dangerous to enter because a small dome of the burial ceiling has long since collapsed.

This excavation was the first discovery made by an all-Egyptian archaeological group in the Valley of the Kings. Foreign archaeologists have conducted archaeological surveys over the past two centuries.

The group consists of 5 archaeologists and 1 geologist who are also looking for other graves. They believe that the tomb of Ramses VIII (around 1150 BC) can be found near the tomb of Merenptah (1225-1215 BC) because the ancient drawings pointed to the tomb in the upper position.

According to Boraik, Luxor Antiquities 'Valley of the Kings there are many mysteries and many graves need to be excavated.'