THE TRANSVERSE CHAMBER - continued

THE NORTH WING

This wing, to the right of the area between the entrance passageway and that leading to the next chamber, like to other wing, measures approximately 3 metres in length.
The decoration at this end of the chamber is in a better condition than that at the other. Here the two side walls are sub-divided into two registers of approximately the same height, whilst the end wall has a much larger upper register.

The west wall

The two registers of this wall include the worship of Osiris by Userhat and his family in the upper one, and their adoration of Thutmosis and his queen, of whose mortuary cult Userhat was a priest, in the lower one. The two registers are separated by a band of blue leaves on a black background which serves as a frieze for the lower one (see ). The left hand side of both registers have lost some detail due to damage against the entry to the second chamber (see ). On the right-hand side, both registers are divided into two sub-registers. All four of these sub-registers contain ritual acts performed for Userhat's own benefit.

Top register

This, like the register below, can be described in two sections.

• Main left-hand section

Here is shown the worship of Osiris by Userhat and his family.

• Osiris in his naos-shrine

He sits within a naos-shrine, the outside of which is framed with a very narrow structure. This curves over the top of a row of uraei (sacred serpents), which rest on the top of a much firmer structure. The whole of the upper inside of the naos is amazingly decorated, filling all the available space.
Osiris sits on a cuboid throne (see ), painted with bright red, blue and green stripes, with an often found rectangle at the rear base. I has a small backrest which curves and extends over the back. The seat and the feet of the people rest on the usual reed carpet.
Behind him stand the goddesses Hathor-Semyt and Ma-at (?), and the god Anubis (only the lower part of one of his legs and the bottom of his kilt can be seen due the lost area of the wall). They demonstrate their attention to the god by holding on to his shoulders, his arms, and a the top of the flail which he holds in his right hand.

Osiris has a green complexion to portray his origin as a god of vegetation. On his head he has the Atef crown, a central mitre of rushes (in the shape of the white crown of Upper Egypt) flanked with two curved ostrich feathers. He wears a broad necklace of beads and a large heavy pectoral, which hangs from his neck (see image opposite), decorated with figures of Anubis and himself identified as "god of the West". Around him he wears a fringed and tasselled waistband. In his left hand he holds the crook and flail, but only a flail in his right hand.
The artist has placed the base of the shrine into the image of a blue lake. From this, in front of Osiris, rise two papyrus stems as well as the mystic lotus. At the top of the lotus are the small images of the four sons of Horus (the four genii of the dead) (a is dedicated to them). Between the lotus and the right-hand papyrus is a thin post from which hangs a symbolic inflated animal skin with a red jar below it (this skin is supposed to contain liquids collected at the time of the mummification). This is refered to as an 'imuit' fetish-symbol and is sometimes called "Son of the hesat-cow".

• Userhat and his family

Outside the front of Osiris' shrine is a pile of offerings amazingly balanced on four slender stands, resting on a reed carpet. To the right of this is Userhat, who is pouring incense oil onto this pile. He is followed by three members of his family.
--- The offerings. The pile of offerings includes hearts, ribs, heads, and fat forelimbs of the animals which have been sacrificed. The cucumbers (or perhaps honeycombs) have been cut open to show their structure. All of this is draped with garlands and foliage and at the very top are bouquets. Hanging from the left stand is a string of dates, a somewhat unusual feature, which the artist decided to combine fruit in green, yellow, red, and black stages of its ripening. Between the four stands are more bundles of flowers.

--- Userhat. He stands in front of the pile of offerings, on which he pours into a dish with the help of a vase, the essential oil of incense in the shape of an orange mass (see ) ; the same can be seen in the tomb TT181 of Nebamon and Ipuky. Userhat has a shaven head, and wears a very elaborate large collar and several arm bracelets. He has a long white, and pleated, lower garment and he wears sandals. Hanging behind him, probably attached by the small necklace, is a two-coloured sash. Over his shoulders he has the priestly leopard-skin, which has the usual dark markings, but it also has a pattern of circled stars and is edged by a colourful border both of which were presumably sewn on. Royal cartouches can be seen on skin, near his right shoulder, as if the animal had been branded, they are empty here, but should be those of Ramesses I. The presence of the reigning king's name would indicate the vice-regal functions of the priest.
A slim apron, which hangs from his waist, has the same significance (see ), because it carries the legend, "The good god, lord of the two lands, lord of ritual, great of might, beautiful (?) of justice in front of Amon, king of South and North, lord of the two Lands, Menpehti-Re, son of Re, lord of diadems, Ramessu (Rameses I) , to whom life is given like Re".
In front of Userhat's face is a text dedicating the act which he caries out: "For the ka of the chief priest of the royal spirit of Akheperkare, Userhat".

--- His wife. Standing behind Userhat is his wife holding a gently curving stem of papyrus. It has a fine and wide-spread head and with weeds entwined round its bare stem. She also holds two fowl in her left hand (see ), whilst her right hand is raised upwards. Her long hair style is without doubt artificial, because blond hair tendrils can be seen protruding from under it about her face. Like her husband, she also wears a broad colourful necklace. She also has arm bracelets, earrings and a colourful band around her head, also two lotus flowers on top. Her legs can faintly be seen under her white dress, but because they can only be seen to extend to the knee, it is possible that she wears an undergarment. She wears no shoes. Here, as elsewhere, the artist depicts different flesh colours for the men and women. The two columns of text behind her head identify her as follows: "His wife, house-mistress and singer of Amon, Shepsut". Note that this shortened form of the name Hatshepsut is used in all cases, except on the east wall.
The boy who follows her with a bouquet and a sacrificial duck is identified as "The son, chief priest of Akheperkare, Thut (mose?) ".
The lady at the rear is identified in the text before her as "His wife (sister?), house-mistress and singer of Amon, …" (note that the name of this second wife, if it was ever written, has been blotted out by a daub of paint. On the wall opposite, the identification of a similar lady has also not been allowed to survive. The female carries a sistrum in her left hand and also has her right hand raised.

• The right-hand section

This, which takes up approximately a quarter of the length of the register, is divided into two sub-registers.
In both scenes the deceased pair can be seen on the right, seated before a large pile of offerings. On the left side are two sem-priests who purify the gifts by fumigation and the pouring on of water. Between the priests and the offerings are four women, squatting on the floor, who appear to mourn the deceased. The mourning women seem somewhat out of place in a ritual which appears to be performed after, not at the burial.
In both sub-registers the couple are identified in the text: For the ka of the chief priest of the royal spirit Akheperkare, Userhat", and "The mistress of the house, Shepsut", as would be expected. It should be noted that Shepsut has, in both cases, the festive cone on her wig, whereas Userhat doesn't one; he has a black wig in the upper sub-register but a naked skull below. According to Padgham, the context is that of a festive procession in the necropolis, during which the family is united, which replaces the Beautiful Festival of the Valley which was no longer represented in the Ramesside period. As at the time of the XVIIIth Dynasty, it would be the deceased's choice to represent or not a cone in the funeral scenes, a means to differentiate the offerings destined for the Ba of those destined for the Ka…
• In the upper sub-register the rite is that of a libation, and the gift is an extremely large bunch of onions, bound with the inevitable garland. For reference to the "the onion and its symbolism during the festivals of Sokar, Nehebkau and Bastet" see . Smoke seems to be rising from this as if burning incense had been sprinkled on the offering The presentation of onions is frequently seen during this period, because of its strong odorous properties which gave them a ritual value, the means of restoring senses to the dead.
• In the lower sub-register (see ), the offering is different, probably showing a hotep di nisut offering of all kinds of food, but none can be seen. The upper text in front of the the priests states: "A ritual offering given to the ka of the high-priest of the temple of Akheperkare, Userhat". Under the arms of the two priests, is a text which may read:"The servants of one whom the west favours". A continuation of this may have been removed (see ).

Bottom register

This, like the register above, can be described in two sections, the large one on the left and the smaller right side divided into two sub-registers. Again all are attended by Userhat. This register has suffered a great deal of damage, especially in the lower half.

• Main left-hand section

Here is shown the adoration of Thutmosis I and his queen, of whose mortuary cult Userhat was a priest.

• Thutmosis I in his kiosk

Compared with the naos-shrine of the upper register, Thutmosis sits within a more solid kiosk structure. This is supported at the front by a column (there was probably one at the rear, though it is now lost through damage). From the base of the column stands a combination of the lily and the open papyrus.
Sitting in the structure is Akheperkare-Thutmose (Thotmosis I of the early Eighteenth Dynasty), he is accompanied by the queen, Ahmose, who stands behind him. They are identified by cartouches, all three of which are written on an overlay of coarse plaster added within the cartouche. Like much of the detail within the structure, the cartouches are now almost unreadable, but fortunately the shows the detail. The queen wears a circlet of uraei on top of the vulture headdress, which often forms the basis of more elaborate crowns. She rests her hands on Thotmosis' shoulders. He sits on the usual high-backed throne, wearing a long wide garment, the Khepresh (blue crown), a broad necklace and sandals on his feet. In his right hand he holds an ankh symbols on his thigh, whilst in his left hand he holds his crook of office. A exists about royal representations in Theban tombs of the Ramesside period.

• Userhat and his family

--- The offerings. Outside the front of Pharaoh's booth is a pile of offerings piled on top of a handsome golden bowl, definitely showing the exaggerated scale in which the pile is drawn. The bowl is supported by a thinly drawn frame, surrounded by a floral display garland. The offerings include a brace of large, finely drawn fowl and a loaf of bread, near the top are various fruits and resting on the top is a floral bouquet. To the right of this is Userhat, followed by three members of his family.
--- Userhat. Reverence paid to Thotmosis by Userhat is perhaps due less to this pharaoh's importance in history but to the benefit his cult had brought to the family of Userhat, in which that of being high-priesthood was as good as hereditary. Userhat raises his right hand and presents a duck on a hand-brazier with his left. He wears a shoulder length black wig and the short beard. The priestly skin has the cartouches of Sety I on the shoulder, these are also repeated on the slim apron, which hangs from his waist, as also found in the image of him in the register above. The inscription in front of his face is again dedicating the act which he caries out: "For the ka of the chief priest of the royal spirit Akheperkare, Userhat". The full text on the apron is the same as in the upper register, because he wears the same garments.

--- First female. Userhat is followed by "His mother, house-mistress and chantress of Amon-Re, king of the gods, Henet-tawi". It should be noted that the super-scriptions in the cartouche and the names of Userhat and Henet-tawi, as well as the titles, from "Amon" onwards, have been written on superimposed plaster. Henet-tawi, if this is correct, must be the mother-in-law, because Userhat's own mother was named Ta-usret. His mother was a chantress of Mont. Hence perhaps, the correction begins with the name of the god. This lady carries three ducks in her right hand, a sistrum and a menat necklace in her left hand. From her left elbow hangs a large bouquet, made in 'Ankh'-shape, the sign which stands for "life".
--- Second female. As in the register above, the following female is, "His wife, house-mistress and chantress of…". Note that the name of this wife has been removed and was never replaced, or perhaps it thus corresponds with the second wife in the register above or perhaps did not exist, or had been consigned to oblivion by Hatshepsut. Beyond the second column can be detected a faint red text, which reads: "[daughter] of Tentant (or Tenton) ". She holds a sistrum, which is only just visible and her dress appears rather plain. She is accompanied by a little daughter, who stands in front of her, whose shaven head retains only a side-lock of hair.

• The right-hand section

Again taking up approximately a quarter of the length of the register, this is divided into two sub-registers. Although the scenes appear similar, this time there is only one sem-priest on the left-hand side purifying the gifts. Again, between the priest and the offerings are four women squatting on the floor, who again mourn the deceased, but because the width of the lower sub-registers is less they are more compacted.
• In the upper sub-register the scene has the same couple, identified as in the two sub-registers above, by the text: "For the ka of the chief priest of the royal spirit Akheperkare, Userhat", and again accompanied by: "The mistress of the house, Shepsut". The text above the priest is the same as that of the one immediately above. The scene depicts the making of light for the deceased and providing offerings. In front of them is a raised altar surface, on which are three twisted tapers between which are two cones of grease, often represented in tombs of this period. Davies studied this topic well in a special article (J.E.A. vol.10). The cones are placed on a slightly higher flat surface, and are decorated with horizontal bands of colour, perhaps layers of coloured fat and wrapped around with bands of copper, or of fine fabric, serving to maintain the shape, because it was found that when lighted the cones tended to collapse. This represents the ritual called "kindling a light", classically accompanied by censing and libation of offerings. Apparently this more durable form of candle became popular and it was the custom of some to bring an already lit pair and to place them on an altar or on the ground. Beneath these is an altar on top of which are two brazen arms in the "ka" shape embracing the offerings.
• In the lower sub-register the recipients are not Userhat and a wife but another similar official, named in the text as Nebmehyt, and his unnamed wife. The priest who is serving them has the still more surprising text above him: "Purification for Osiris To, the blessed one". This and other appearances of unexpected people in the tomb suggest that its decoration was not completed by Userhat himself, but after his death, by persons partly unfriendly. The offerings are displayed almost identically to those of the bottom sub-register of the upper register.