Her tomb was looted and her mummy destroyed. But the artwork on the walls of her tomb are considered the most beautiful in Egypt and through that artwork one could easily argue that she lives.

Queen Nefertari was great Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II, and she was buried in Egypt’s Valley of the Queens. His epitaph to her is probably one of the most lovely I have ever read:

“The one for whom the sun shines”

Before you think I’m just morbid, I was a Morticians Apprentice, so I’m no stranger to funerary rites. So with that in mind, I would have liked to have been there on the day Nefertari began her journey to the Field of Reeds.

I would have liked to have seen her carried into her tomb in all of it’s glory and seen her grave goods and offerings placed in the chambers for her use in the next world.

Of course I would have seen it by torchlight but that’s ok.

What fascinates me is that once the living people left and the light was taken away her tomb was plunged into darkness. You couldn’t have seen your hand in front of your face. But all of those colors and those stories were all around you,  the romantic in me says you wouldn’t have needed to see it with your eyes.

Nefertari in front of the first door of the Kingdom of Osiris, raising her arms in a sign of adoration

Osiris (left) and Atum (right) shown enthroned, receiving offerings from Nefertari, upper annex room
Photo By: Onceinawhile

Nefertari before Thoth, upper annex room Photo By: Onceinawhile

Nefertari praising the Seven Hathors (left), Nephthys and Isis with Banebdjedet (right), first annex room

Nefertari playing Senet