Tomb of Queen Nefertari, Luxor

QV66 stands as the final resting place of Nefertari, the esteemed Great Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Discovered in 1904 by Ernesto Schiaparelli, then director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin, it has earned the epithet of the "Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt." Nefertari's tomb once housed her mummified remains alongside symbolic representations of her existence. Unfortunately, the ravages of time and plundering have stripped away much of its original contents, leaving only two-thirds of its expansive 5,200 square feet of wall paintings intact. Despite the losses, these remaining artworks serve as poignant reflections of Nefertari's essence. Her visage is meticulously depicted, with a focus on enhancing her beauty, notably emphasizing the contours of her eyes, the rosiness of her cheeks, and the elegance of her eyebrows.

The wall paintings, adorned with vibrant hues of red, blue, yellow, and green depict intricate scenes intended to guide her through the journey to the afterlife, mapping out the path to paradise with exquisite detail. Though time has weathered much of the tomb's splendor, what remains stands as a testament to Nefertari's enduring legacy and the artistic mastery of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Nefertari's tomb serves as an invaluable repository of detailed insights into ancient Egyptian beliefs surrounding the journey to the afterlife. Featuring excerpts from chapters 148, 94, 146, 17, and 144 of the Book of the Dead, the tomb chronicles the ceremonies and challenges encountered by Nefertari from her death until her rebirth, symbolized by her emergence as a sun disc from the eastern horizon, triumphing over darkness.

The depiction of afterlife ceremonies offers significant knowledge about the roles and responsibilities of various major and minor gods during the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. The tomb walls mention deities such as Isis, Osiris, Anubis, Hathor, Neith, Serket, Ma'at, Wadjet, Nekhbet, Amunet, Ra, Nephthys, Khepri, Amun, and Horus.