THE TRANSVERSE CHAMBER

Although it is of an irregular shape, the transverse chamber can be said to measure, in general terms, a maximum of 15.20m in length (north-south), by 3.36m in width (east-west) and 3.70m in height. It can be divided into three more or less equal sections (see ). The central area, which includes the two openings — the main entrance and the entrance leading to the longitudinal chamber — measures 5.75m in length (north-south) by 3.20m between the two doorways. It differs from the wings to the left and right first by being wider and higher by about 7-10 cm, effectively creating a slight surrounding border to the wings (plainly visible in the southwards and northwards views), and second by a difference in the motifs decorating the ceilings. The focal point of two wings is in each case a huge statue or statue pair (more than 3 metres in height) at the end of each intended to evoke a chapel or shrine.
The wall surface had been smoothed by a double layer of plaster, but regrettably this has largely fallen away.

Three decorative themes may be identified:

the owner and his family :The family is especially notable in the lower register. Several people are represented, for whom the relationship links with Amenemope can be only distant or indirect. At the best place, that is the central portion of the west wall on either side of the doorway, can be found the most important characters for the deceased: to the left, son Usermaatrenakht making an offering to his parents, Amenemope and his wife; to the right, Amenemope’s father Tjanefer, together with his grandparents, Amenhotep and Henutmeter.

the relationship between the owner and the king :The theme of Amenemope’s relationship with the king is to be found directly above the last, on the west wall on either side of the opening and above the main family members, in a position well illuminated by sunlight coming in from the entrance. It includes in particular a representation of the principal event in Amenemope’s career, when Ramesses III appointed him to posts previously held by his father. Further along Ramesses IV can be seen.

the relationship between the owner and the gods : The theme of Amenemope’s relationship with the gods is featured in the top registers, the frieze and the ceiling decoration.

East wall, south side

The area between the entrance and where the width narrows was at one time lined extensively with blocks of sandstone, but these have since disappeared, carrying away their decoration with them. Decoration has only survived at the top frieze level. After the narrowing in width the decoration, on the left, begins with four columns of hieroglyphs engraved on a thick layer of plaster. In some places the engraving penetrates through the plaster into the underlying rock wall (see ).

To the left in the above illustration the decoration begins with four columns of text that may once have extended to the full height of the three registers. About two-thirds along this section of wall there is a large fissure that extends up the entire height of the wall, across the ceiling and down the opposite (west) wall. The width of each register is mentioned in context below. Sandstone blocks, which the craftsmen of the time had used to fill in the wall before decorating it, have since fallen away, disappearing along with the decoration on them. The filler that can be seen today is modern repair-work.

1) - The solar hymn

It represents a solar hymn : "[…] a happy day in heaven and [ear]th! The gods rejoice when the Osiris, the priest of Amon, [A]menemope calls your name in the [follow]ing (?) […] / […] the crew of your barque; the imperishable stars rejoice greatly! Shine, appear daily at the side of […] / […] your barque upon the supports of Shu; the Osiris, the priest of Amon, nurturing you in the netherworld. Receive […] / the priest of Amon, Amenemope, justified, that he may shine in the netherworld, he standing at his utterances praising Re when [he] shines […]".

2) - Lower register

The average height of the lower register in the transverse section of the tomb of Amenemope is 0.67m. It is edged on the underside with a dado area varying in height from 0.41 to 0.51m, the increase in height due to the rise in the level of the floor towards the statue or north end. At the top this lower region is separated from the register above by a 3 cm blue band edged with black lines.

Three individual scenes can be identified (as shown and numbered in colour in the line drawing above). From the left there are two scenes each of offerings being made to a seated couple; then there is the large fissure (much larger in width than indicated by the black vertical bar in the line drawing, of about 30 cm, or half the height of the register). The fissure separates the final pair of scenes of offerings being made to two seated couples.

Scene 1

The first scene, from the left has, as can be seen, a large area of damage in its upper portion, between the person making offerings and the seated couple. The man on the left, almost certainly Amenemope (the identifying text is is almost completely lost), is presenting offerings to his grandparents. He is depicted as a sem-priest. His head is shaven, and he is wearing a large white tunic, whose folds are indicated in red and which descends to just above his ankles. On his feet he is wearing sandals. Around his chest is a large multicoloured necklace, as well as gold necklace of lenticular-shaped beads. Concealing a part of the necklace and descending to his waist is a leopard skin, which is normal for a sem-priest, with the tail hanging down behind. He has a sash draped over his left shoulder, which is outlined in black and bears a black text: "The perfect god, lord of rituals, Usermare-sekheperenre", designating Ramesses V.
Amenemope is making a libation: a flow of water can be seen but not the vessel from which it comes. The water is falling onto green plant stems fastened by a red ribbon, perfectly recalling the hieroglyph Gardiner M37 . The plants have been placed in a royal-blue vase with a yellow top. Between this and a tall lettuce plant can be seen the yellow stand of an offering table the upper part of which is now totally lost along with the offerings on it, in the large area of damage.

The couple to whom the homage offerings are being made are the deceased's, Amenemope’s, grandparents.

Amenhotep
His grandfather is seated on a chair with a high backrest, coloured black possibly to indicate a high-quality wood such as ebony (or because it is indeed made of ebony…). At the side of the chair is a large yellow scribe's palette, with its pots for black and red ink. The man is clothed in an ample white tunic with wide sleeves. His skin, as is that of the sem-priest, is brownish-red, traditional for males. On his dark blue wig is placed a cone of ointment, the real or the metaphorical nature of which remains controversial. Around his neck a multicoloured necklace spreads out, on top of which he wears two gold chains, one short and another longer from which hangs a golden ib-heart. A gold bracelet is visible on his left wrist. He has a short beard characteristic of officials. In his left hand he is holding a green sekhem sceptre. The small two column text in front of him simply states: "The Osiris, the priest of Amon, Amenhotep".

Henutmeter
Wife of Amenhotep and grandmother of Amenemope, is seated behind him, again on a chair with a high backrest. She is identified in the three columns of text in front of her: "His sister (wife), the chief of the musical troupe of Amon, Henutmeter, justified". Her skin is a pale yellowish colour, as sometimes found during the 20th dynasty, the period when the skin of women lightens. She is wearing a long black, curly and fringed wig, which partially covers a gold earring. She has a coloured headband around her head; and on her head are the stem of a lotus plant with the bud on her forehead, and a cone of ointment. She is wearing a large-sleeved fine transparent tunic fastened below her breasts. She has bracelets on her forearms and wrists, and a broad necklace about her neck and shoulders. Her right arm is stretched out with the palm of her hand facing forward, while in the left she holds the stem (red) of a papyrus whose umbel is open. The whole of the lower part of her body is lost except for her toes, which are on a footrest.

Scene 2

In the next scene to the right Amenemope is making offerings of a libation and of incense to his father, Tjanefer, and mother, Nefertary. The deceased, Amenemope, is represented in almost exactly the same way as in the previous scene, except this time he is wearing a wig. The inscription on the sash around his left shoulder is to some extent legible (see ), and may be taken to read: "May, the perfect god, lord of the Two Lands, lord of rituals, Usermaatre-sekheperenre (Ramesses V) live". In one hand Amenemope is holding a censer and in the other a hes-vase from which he is pouring a libation of water towards a table laden with offerings. In reality the water is shown actually missing the table of offerings and hitting the side of a red painted beer vessel with a black top and white base underneath it. A lotus flower with the bud closed can be seen winding itself round this object. The offerings are set out on a single-legged table consisting of two separate parts: a tray and a single-column supporting leg. The offerings themselves are vegetables, cuts of meat, fruit in a basket, jars and so on. On the other side of the table leg from the beer vessel there is a large lettuce plant. Of the seven columns of text in front of Amenemope, the nearest four relate to him and, starting from the right (i.e. from column 4) they read: "Words spoken by the priest of Amon, Amenemope / before his father: "You will be enduring / of peace, splendid of divinity and / every gift of Khefthernebes every day forever." (Khefethernebes indicates the deified west bank of Thebes).

The last three columns of text read, starting from column 5: "The Osiris, the chief of Seers of [Re] in Thebes, the priest of / Amon, Tja- / nefer, justified." and relate to Amenemope’s father, Tjanefer, who is sitting on a chair similar to the one used by Amenhotep in the previous scene, and is sitting in the same characteristic posture. He, too, is holding a sekhem-sceptre in one hand while his other is open above the offerings. Note that the jb-heart attached to the chain round his neck is coloured red, not gold, and that under the chair, instead of the scribe's palette, there is a green sack-like container the top of which is tied with string. On his feet Tjanefer is wearing sandals with hooked tips similar to poulaine-toed shoes of the Middle Ages. His feet are resting on a stool. His wig is blue, with traces of black.

Three columns of text behind Tjanefer read "His sister (wife) the chief / of the musical troupe of Amon, / Nefertary, / [justified]". They relate to Nefertary, the painting of whom is almost totally lost except for her feet, her right arm, and a stem of papyrus. She is positioned immediately to the left of the large fissure. This the workers of the time had filled and dressed with blocks of stone on which the painting had been done. The subsequent loss of this material mean that the painting was lost as well. The plaster there today is modern filling.

Scene 3

The next scene, the third, is on the other side of the fissure. All that remains of the left-hand side of this scene is the back of an unknown male together with the back of his chair. This was probably Amenemope himself in the company of his second wife, "His sister (wife) songstress of / Amon, Ta / mit, justified".
Tamit is sitting on a two-coloured cushion on a white wooden chair. Under it a small monkey, her pet animal, is squatting eating a fruit (see ).

Finally, at the end of the register is another couple. The incomplete text in front of the first reads: "The father of his wife, / the chamberlain of / Shu (and) Tefnut, the high priest / of Onuris Siese" (see ). The representation of him here, as well as of the table of offerings, could effectively be superimposed on the corresponding situation in the previous scene and consequently needs no further elaboration. Note that this time under the seat there is black and yellow vase containing some darker yellow substance, probably an ointment.
Behind Siese there is one final person, a woman, who concludes the register (see ). According to the inscription in front of her she is the "chief of the musical troupe [of] / Onuris Ta / wenesh, justified" Although her relationship is not specified she is the wife of Siese, the mother of Tamit. She, too, is sitting on a white chair, but her cushion is not coloured.

3) - Upper (originally middle) register

This is less well preserved than the underlying register, notably the left side, of which virtually nothing now exists. The theme of the register is that of Amenemope's entry into the hall of judgement, the weighing of the heart and his introduction to Osiris after his justification. Originally this was displayed in six scenes, of which only three are now preserved (3rd, 4th and 6th), the 5th scene having been lost due to the large fissure. This fissure is much wider than indicated in the line drawing, also wider than in the bottom register, being 45cm (bottom) to 60cm (top), approximately that of the height of the register.

Scenes 1 and 2

These have been almost entirely destroyed, apart from remains of feet and legs (see ).

Scene 3

The upper part of the body of Amenemope has disappeared, but it can be seen that he is again dressed as in the representations of the underlying register. It is possible that his right hand is raised to greet the god Thoth, whom he faces. His left outstretched, palm upwards, in order to receive something from the god, who holds his hand above that of Amenemope. He possibly holds a basket with the figure of the goddess Ma'at. The three columns of text between them states the following: "Words spoken by Thoth: "The Osiris, the priest of Amon, Amenemope, justified, / I herewith give you your heart, it remaining on its place. / Your body will not grow old, you following Sokar, onions (at) your neck on the morning of the netjeryt-festival" (for the descriptive page regarding "Sokar and the onions", see: ) Thoth presumably has his usual head of an ibis. His feet are naked and his is clothed in a loincloth painted in yellow and across his chest is a sash of the same colour. He holds a ankh (symbolising life) in his left hand, at his side.
Between the god's foot and that of Amenemope, a visitor has written some graffiti in hieratic (see ), this actually says: "What / the scribe Amon (her) khopeshef, the son of Ramose, made for his mother, Ikhnetes of (?) / the […] my (?) father (and?) my (?) town, the mansion of the king […] / […] while I was wandering about (?) ". The rest remains obscure.

Scene 4

All that has survived from this scene is the image of Amenemope, who has abandoned the leopard skin of his position as a sem-priest and now wears a kilt with a front sash and a long semi-transparent garment (see the righthand side of the image for scene 3, above). He does however wear his usual sandals. He holds his left hand on his right forearm in a sign of humility. He walks towards the balance of which all that survives is the left tray carrying the deceased's heart, the missing tray would have held either an effigy of seated goddess Ma'at (the goddess of truth) or a feather (which she normally wore on her head). This is all that remains of the scene of the weighing of the heart, the rest is lost in the large fissure which has already been discussed. If Amenemope's heart is heavier he has failed, and will spend eternity with the damned. For an image of what this scene might have looked like originally, see this one from the .

Scene 5

Immediately to the right of the fissure, Amenemope, having been declared as justified and pure of heart, leaves the judgement hall. Very little exists of the scene (see the bottom left corner of ), except the tip of his foot and sandal, the long end of his sash overlapping the hem of his garment and the first column of the accompanying text: "The Osiris, the priest of Amon, Amenemope, justified. He says: 'You are elevated […]' ".

Scene 6

Amenemope is brought into presence of Osiris by Thoth, who leads him by holding his left wrist. The deceased is still clothed in the long and fine white overgarment and heavily pleated kilt. He wears sandals, a large multicoloured usekh necklace overlaid by a pectoral in the shape of heart. In his left hand he holds two feathers of Ma'at, whilst, in his raised right hand, he presents a small image of the goddess Ma'at to Osiris, also indicating that he has come victorious from the hall of judgement, having conformed to the writings of Ma'at during his terrestrial life (see ).
Above Thot and Amenemope is a text in six fragmentary columns, of which only the bottom survives. This contained Thoth's speech of the presentation of the deceased to Osiris.

Osiris is seated under the canopy, supported by pillars, of his throne room. His cubic chair rests on the hieroglyph of the basket, itself resting on a double staircase representing the primordial hill (see ). In front of the god and for his defence is a lion-headed goddess armed with knives (see ).
This scene, which is close to the vignette illustrating chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead, is very original and interesting, because it was until here known only from the Late Period. Another can be found, a more complete one, in the chapel of the statues of the longitudinal chamber and will be examined in detail there.

South wall

This is occupied by statuary of a seated couple and their daughter, which emerges from the rock, and accompanied by text.

1) - Statuary group of the south wing

Although this statue group contains more people than the one at the northern end of the chamber, it is actually less in height, thus producing smaller images. There is here a space of 25cm between the heads and the ceiling, whereas the head of the figure at the other end reaches the ceiling. The imagery protrudes about 2.10m into the chamber. It represents three characters, identified by their names: Amenemope, his wife Tamerit, who are seated side by side, and their daughter, Mutemuia, standing between them. The seats of the couple rest on a platform. The deceased wears a wig which descends to his shoulders, a necklace on his chest and his hands rest on his thighs. His wife is rather gracefully portrayed. Her left hand rests on her thigh, whilst the right encloses her spouse's waist. The details of the faces and clothes, which were produced in plaster, are lost. Their daughter stands between them (1.12m in height), left foot forward. She holds her right hand on her father's leg. Her young age is manifested by the lock of hair at the side of her head.

A text is engraved in blue hieroglyphs on a white plaster base with red edge lines, between the legs of Amenemope (see ) : " 'My statue of the rock of my city, may I last […] every […] in […] my name being remembered upon your (sur) face.' For the ka of the God's Father, One over the Secrets (of sky, the land and the netherworld), greatest of the Seers of Re in Thebes, high priest of Mut, priest of Amon, Amenemope, justified, son of the dignitary, priest of Amon, Tjanefer, justified".

Text (rather damaged) on the legs of Tamerit state: "His wife, his beloved, his favourite, mist[ress of the house, chief of the musical] troupe of Amon, Ta[merit], justified, whom the high priest of Amon, Ramessesnakht, engendered, whom the chief of the musical troupe of Amon, Adjedetat, bore".

Under the girl's right arm, the text states: "His daughter, his beloved, chief of the musical troupe of Mut, Mutemwia, justified.".

Above the heads of the couple are two texts, aligned with the top of the frieze:
— The text on the left: "The Osiris, the divine father, pure of hands, the one who knows the secrets of the skies, [the land] and the netherworld, [greatest of the Seers of Re-At]um in Thebes, high priest of Mut, [the priest of Amon], Amenemope [justified], son of the priest of Amon, [Tjanefer, justified]".
— The text on the right: "His wife, his beloved, his favourite, the mistress of the [house], chief of the musical troupe of [Amon], Tamerit, justified, daughter of the high priest of Amon-Re, king of the gods, [Ra]messesnakht, whom the chief of the musical troupe of Amon, Adjedetat, bore.".

2) - To the east (left) of the statuary group

Two registers exist, the lower edge of the first (bottom) is at the same level as that of the now upper register of the east wall (see ), 1.29m above the floor.

Bottom register

A masculine figure, missing from waist up, can be seen facing to the right. His name has survived: "The wab-priest of Amon, Bakenkhons, he says 'The [……]' ". The end of the text is lost.

Upper register

This measures about 0.73m in height. There only remains some traces of the decoration, which represent Amenemope adoring Hathor who appears in the form of a cow emerging from the western mountain. A fragmentary text of five columns is above and behind him: "Giving praise [to Hathor], mistress of the western desert, that my ba may go forth whenever it wishes, not being restrained at the gates of the netherworld. The Osiris, the priest of Amon, Amenemope, justified, in peace".

3) - To the west (right) of the statuary group

The three surviving registers (the 4th is lost) are an extension of those on the adjoining west wall and will be discussed with the description of that wall.