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Original fileRelief from the Book of Gates, Tomb of Seti I (KV17)
KV17, the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty, Pillared chamber F, southeast wall decorated with the scenes from the Book of Gates, Valley of the Kings, Egypt (49846646517)
About This Work
This bas-relief is carved into light-colored limestone, depicting two human figures in profile, facing right, dressed in traditional Egyptian kilts with mid-length wigs. Between the two figures, a long, thick serpent winds horizontally; the tail passes behind the body of the figure on the left, while its head, curled inward with an open mouth, is positioned in the center, and its body extends toward and behind the figure on the right. The stone surface displays natural textures and some minor degradation, with traces of red pigment remaining on the figures' skin and the bodies of the serpents, set against the pale beige of the wall.
This scene originates from the 'Book of Gates', a major funerary text of the New Kingdom intended to guide the deceased pharaoh through the underworld. It illustrates the complex geography of the Duat, where various deities guard the gates through which the solar barque of Ra must pass.