This red granite box, once a silent guardian, held the very coffin of Pharaoh Ramses III. Carved from a single massive block, its decoration is a captivating story. At the feet of the deceased pharaoh lies Isis, a powerful goddess with outstretched wings, symbolizing protection and rebirth. Nephthys, her sister, stands vigilantly at the head.

The long sides of the box are like windows into the afterlife. They depict scenes from the “Book of Hidden Chambers” (the Amduat), an ancient Egyptian text guiding the pharaoh’s soul through the perilous journey of the underworld. The story unfolds as you follow the box’s orientation. Starting near Nephthys, on the side facing the head, the seventh hour of the Amduat unfolds along the right side. As your gaze travels towards the feet, the narrative continues with the eighth hour depicted on the left side.

Finally, around the base of the coffin, a fascinating detail emerges – the motif of a palace facade. This harks back to an earlier era, the Old Kingdom, hinting at the evolution of sarcophagus design and the enduring belief in the pharaoh’s continued reign, even in the afterlife.