Tomb of Ramses IX in Valley of the Kings Luxor

Ramses IX was one of the longest-serving pharaohs, after Ramses III and XI. It was during this time that there was a high level of tomb robbery. A high priest, Pingem, discovered that tomb robbers would desecrate the pharaoh's body whilst searching for treasures, cutting into the mummy to find amulets or even burning it to melt the gold hidden inside. This desecration would put an end to the pharaoh's chance eternal afterlife. Pingem and his followers broke into many of the tombs to remove and re-hide the royal bodies in a cache, that of his family's tomb, located high on the cliff overlooking the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut. Although he served for a long time, there is evidence that his tomb was in part rushed, as the quality of the paintings varied. The burial chamber at the end is surprisingly small. It was possibly intended to be a further corridor that was hastily converted.