Tomb of Ramses IV, Luxor

Tomb of Ramses IV is the final resting place of King Ramses IV, the third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom. This tomb was abruptly cut short at 89m due to the premature death of the pharaoh in 1147 BC. The burial chamber, once intended to be a pillared hall, was repurposed to house the sarcophagus of Ramses IV. Despite the deterioration of its paintings, one notable depiction of the goddess Nut adorns the ceiling, showcasing the unique presence of the Book of Nut text detailing the daily journey of the sun.

Since ancient times, the tomb of Ramses IV has been frequented and marked by various visitors, evident from the Greek, Roman, and Coptic graffiti etched into its walls. Positioned conveniently near the valley entrance, it served as a lodging stop for travelers during the 18th and 19th centuries. The tomb's design, as revealed by an ancient papyrus now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Turin, originally included four large shrines encasing the red-granite sarcophagus, making it one of the valley's largest.

The burial chamber itself boasts scenes from various ancient texts, including the Litany of Ra, Book of Caverns, Book of the Dead, and others, depicted in sunk relief with vibrant backgrounds. Clockwise around the chamber, one can find scenes from the Book of Gates, alongside representations from the Imydwat. Corridor K extends beyond the chamber, adorned with scenes from the Book of Caverns and recesses displaying offerings to gods. Notable features include a depiction of a solar bark hovering above the god Aker and representations of funerary furniture and canopic jars.

Central to the tomb's significance is the red granite sarcophagus of Ramses IV. Adorned with ornate carvings of human-headed uraei and snakes, it houses scenes from the Book of the Earth within.