During the 66-year reign of Ramesses II, three successive viziers served the pharaoh. Khay was the second one. He assumed this role in the middle of Ramesses II’s reign, a period during which the pharaoh started to celebrate his jubilee festivals (known as the Sed festivals). After reigning for 30 years, it was indeed the custom for ancient Egyptian pharaohs to celebrate a jubilee in order to mark the renewal of their royal power. New festivals were subsequently organised every three years. During these celebrations, Khay played a vital role as designer. Several documents show that he announced Ramesses II’s first six jubilees. Egyptologists have also preserved a hymn that he composed in honour of his sovereign.

Vizier Khay also played a major role in the management of Deir el-Medineh, i.e. the community of artists and workers responsible for the cutting and decoration of the tombs in the famous Valley of the Kings. Several documents show that this community was placed under the management of Vizier Khay, mainly from an economic point of view.

A tomb awaiting discovery

Although Khay's pyramid has already revealed some of its secrets, there is still more to be discovered and explored in the vizier's tomb. The pyramid is indeed a funerary monument, marking the position of an actual tomb in the landscape. And while the researchers believe that they have located Khay’s tomb, its entrance is unfortunately located on the very site of the last occupied house at the archaeological site of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna. It is therefore impossible to access it for the moment. Dimitri Laboury isn’t very optimistic about the contents of Khay’s tomb: “It has probably been completely ransacked over the centuries, like the vast majority of the tombs in the Theban necropolis”. At the end of the 18th century AD, Egyptians began to settle in the ancient necropolis in order to facilitate plundering. The presence of the village house, established in the 19th century in front of the tomb, undoubtedly reduces the chances of finding any treasure within. However, the remains of the tomb, its layout, and its size and structure, will provide valuable clues on the customs of the Ramesside period and how Khay fitted into this tradition. The Egyptologists also hope to discover burial chambers under the commemorative chapel.

In the meantime, the Belgian researchers have plenty of work to get on with, while an agreement is sought with the inhabitants of the house built over the entrance to the tomb. The team will continue to excavate the other tombs in their vast concession. Indeed, the pyramid is only one element in a much larger concession, whose many secrets have yet to be discovered...