Memphite Tomb of Horemheb in Saqqara

• 16 / 5 / 2023

Location of the Memphite tomb of Horemheb

The tomb of King Horemheb is located in the section of the Pyramid of Unas, in the area of Saqqara Necropolis. It was not used, as Horemheb made another tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Tomb KV 57 at Luxor, you can visit it through your Luxor excursions. The entrance to the tomb is preceded by a paved esplanade. It leads to the first colonnaded court. In the northwest corner of the court is a tomb. Beyond the court is a room comprising statues of Horemheb and the God Anubis (god of mummification).

The location of Horemheb's Memphite tomb was unknown until the early 19th century when tomb robbers and art dealers explored the area of Saqqara which become a main destination in Egypt travel packages nowadays. They sold the findings to museums and collectors abroad, which included statues, wall reliefs, and other portable objects to see in your Egypt tours. But in 1975 it was rediscovered

Construction of the Memphite tomb

The New Kingdom period saw many officials selecting Saqqara as their "house of eternity". This is unsurprising, given the fact that Memphis, of which the Saqqara cemetery is part, was always the administrative capital of Egypt. Specifically, the area chosen was located south of Unas' causeway and near the funerary complex of the pyramid of king Teti.

For centuries, the area had been occupied by the mastabas of the Old Kingdom period. The architects did not hesitate to take apart and reuse the blocks and the funerary wells, some of which were remodeled. Additionally, elements from the enclosure wall of the pyramid of King Zoser (third dynasty) were taken from the walls of the tomb of Horemheb. Interestingly, fragments of the colonnade were returned to their original place by Jean Philippe Lauer after being dismantled by Horemheb's stonemasons more than 3000 years ago. Horemheb had chosen a site slightly away, likely to ensure there was enough space to prevent possible intrusions in his tomb.

Achievements of the tomb during Tutankhamun's reign

During the reign of Tutankhamun, certain high-ranking nobles adopted a distinct design for their tombs. Those with the means and influence opted to abandon the traditional cliffside tombs for a new type of monument, which replicated on a smaller scale the "temples of millions of years" from Akhenaten's time. It is likely that these tomb temples served a similar purpose as the solar temples from earlier in the 5th dynasty of ancient Egypt history.

It is undoubtedly the reason why this new type of tomb was preferred to the mastaba, traditional in Saqqara which is more solid, to improve the protection of the reliefs, and that they do not break. It presents a superstructure with well-preserved adobe and limestone rooms and a substructure excavated in the rock, with galleries and chambers. The monument has been restored. The interior walls of the two courtyards are decorated with reliefs, many of which are in museums around the world. The scenes emphasize the military aspect. Cairo Top Tours recommended this destination to be in your Egypt classic tours because of its rich history.

Memphite tomb Architecture

There are representations of Horemheb on the offering table at the entrance. The tomb contains paintings and reliefs, both raised and sunken, depicting Horemheb's career in the army. They manifest the finest examples of Memphis art under the influence of the Amarna style at this time. In a celebrated relief, the King and Queen present a gold necklace of honor. On the door, jambs are the name and titles of the dead man. The walls are decorated with skillfully carved painted reliefs and scenes depicting Horemheb before Osiris and a procession of offering bearers. The king is also shown receiving representatives and prisoners from foreign lands. There is a statue of Horemheb and his wife in a chapel on the west side of the court. The place is full of antiques and decorations which deserve to see during your Egypt budget tours.

Information about King Horemheb

Horemheb was the "General of Army Generals" during the reigns of King Tutankhamun and king Ay. He was later crowned king. The tomb is from the time when he was not yet pharaoh and was first discovered in the nineteenth century, to disappear again under the sand. It was rediscovered in 1975. He ordered the works of his tomb before taking the throne as pharaoh after the death of King Ay. There is nothing precise about Horemheb's career before the reign of Tutankhamun, but what is certain is that he did not arrive overnight to the position, the highest of all the king's works and the regent of the young king.

Be that as it may, Horemheb does not speak of his parentage, which suggests that he was probably of modest origin and that he was a self-made man. It is known that his family was from Heracleopolis, near the entrance of the Fayoum city, whose tutelary god was Herishef, a ram-headed god. However, no monument in this city alludes to Horemheb, and it seems that he had no particular devotion to his god, other than that he erected a place of worship there for his family (at least it has not been found). They think that his birthplace is probably in the name of the Falcon as Horemheb always showed particular devotion to the great falcon god Horus, with whom he is often found represented during his reign, as in the group of statues of Vienna.

How to visit the Memphite tomb of Horemheb?

You can visit the Memphite Tomb of Horemheb during our Egypt day tours along with many other attractions that will amaze you!

To summarize, We offer several options for Cairo excursions based on what you want to see and do while in Cairo including many tours of ancient Egyptian sites. You can book our day trip to Saqqara necropolis, the important burial site for Egyptian rulers, as well as a necropolis for ordinary people. It was also home to the Step Pyramid, which is considered the first true pyramid in Egyptian architecture. Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur are all located within a 20-minute drive of each other and they're all incredible, so we suggest visiting all on a one-day Cairo day tour to Memphis Saqqara, and Dahshour pyramids!

There is a really awesome place called Salah El Din Citadel | Citadel Of Cairo where you can have lots of fun doing different things.