It has been known since antiquity and was explored for the first time in the modern era in 1768 by James Bruce. The tomb was referred to as Tomb of the Harpists by Belzoni, who removed the lid and the sarcophagus. he used that name due to the bas-relief representation of two blind harpists. Meanwhile, the explorers from Europe named it Bruce’s tomb after James Bruce.

Located in the main valley of the Valley of the Kings, the tomb was originally started by Setnakhte, but abandoned when it broke into the earlier KV10 (tomb of Amenmesse). Setnakhte was buried in KV14. The tomb KV11 was restarted and extended and on a different axis for Ramesses III. The tomb was first mentioned by an English traveler Richard Pococke in the 1730s, but its first detailed description was given by James Bruce in 1768.

circa 1185 BCE

Entryway A
A set of fourteen modern steps descends from the present level of the Valley floor to the top of an ancient divided stairway. At the bottom of this entryway, beneath an overhang, there are tall recesses on the left (eastern) and right (western) walls containing two pilasters topped with carved heads of horned animals dating to the Twentieth Dynasty.

circa 1185 BCE

Corridor B
The left (eastern) wall of this corridor is decorated with three scenes: Ramesses III before Ra-Horakhty; the opening scene of the Litany of Ra, featuring a solar disk (inspect) containing a scarab (Khepri, signifying rising sun), and a ram-headed deity (Atum, signifying setting sun) below a serpent and above a crocodile; and the beginning of the texts of the Litany of Ra, which continue on the right (western) wall. Conservation measures have been undertaken to preserve these remaining decorations. Two doorways, opening into small side chambers, are positioned opposite each other in the center of the side walls.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Ba
Chamber Ba measures 1.89 meters in height, 2.08 meters in width, and 1.76 meters in length. Its walls are divided into two registers. The upper register depicts bakers, cooks, and butchers, while the lower register features bakers, brewers, and leatherworkers. The decoration is extensively damaged.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Bb
Side chamber Bb measures 1.92 meters in height, 2.09 meters in width, and 1.79 meters in length. Its eastern wall contains the Litany of Ra, while the three remaining walls present sailing boats arranged in two registers. The boats represent a pilgrimage to Abydos that every Egyptian should undertake during life or after death. Much of this decoration has also been lost.

circa 1185 BCE

Corridor C
Corridor C measures 3.31 meters in height, 2.71 meters in width, and 11.63 meters in length. Low rectangular recesses are set close to the ceiling at the northern end of the east and west walls. Four doorways in each wall lead to side chambers. The walls of the corridor are adorned with the Litany of Ra and scenes from the Book of the Dead. On the ceiling, a sun disk containing a ram-headed hawk is flanked by Isis and Nephthys, each shown as hawks, with texts from the Litany of Ra arranged in a central band bordered by star patterns. This corridor ends with a door-frame decorated with protective symbols guarantying the king with an eternal life.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chambers Ca-Ch
Each of these eight chambers measures approximately 1.75 to 2.00 meters in height, approximately 2.00 meters in width, and approximately 1.75 meters in length. All are decorated, although the decorations have suffered considerable damage. One of these chambers led early scholars to refer to this section as the "Tomb of the Harpers", due to its particular iconography. The first two corridors were originally excavated for Setnakhte, while the eight side chambers off corridor C were created for Ramesses III.

The painted reliefs in the eight chambers depict, agricultural deities, divine banners and arms like javelines, bows and shields etc, processions of the fertility geniuses personifying the main cities and provinces of Egypt carrying heavily loaded tables of offerings, and luxury furniture and goods etc.

circa 1185 BCE

Corridor D
Corridor D was abandoned when its excavation (inspect) broke into side chamber Fa of KV10. It forms part of a crossover of the axis shift to the rest of the tomb. This part, except the abandoned excavation area, is heavily decorated with king Ramesses III with various deities.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber D1
Chamber D1 measures 3.12 meters in height, 6.48 meters in width, and 4.47 meters in length. It is formed from the north end of corridor D and an extension to the west(Corridor D2), successfully redirecting the tomb away from KV10. The walls of the chamber are decorated and bear the names of Ramesses III, who took over this tomb after Setnakhte abandoned it.

circa 1185 BCE

Corridor D2
Corridor D2 measures 3.19 meters in height, 2.63 meters in width, and 11.93 meters in length. Its axis shifts to the west to direct the tomb away from KV10. Two low-level recesses can be observed at the lower edge of its southern end. Its walls bear depictions of the fourth and fifth hours of the Amduat.

circa 1185 BCE

Well Chamber E
The well chamber E measures 3.19 meters in height, 4.21 meters in width, and 3.16 meters in length. It contains a well shaft, which has been partially excavated and cleared. All four walls were originally decorated.

circa 1185 BCE

Pillared Chamber F
The pillared chamber F measures 2.74 meters in height, 7.90 meters in width, and 9.10 meters in length. Its walls feature scenes of Ramesses III before various deities and illustrations from the Book of Gates.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Fa
Side chamber Fa measures 2.22 meters in height, 6.31 meters in width, and 4.35 meters in length. One wall of this side chamber depicts Ramesses III being led by Thoth and Horus on the right (southern) half and the king offering an image of Maat to Osiris on the left (northern) half. The side and rear walls are adorned with the sixth division of the Book of Gates.

circa 1185 BCE

Corridor G
Corridor G measures 3.07 meters in height, 2.64 meters in width, and 6.98 meters in length. Its side walls show the Opening of the Mouth ritual. Near its end are two niches set into the walls that once held a wooden crossbeam slightly longer than the width of the corridor. Fitted into a hole on one side and slotted into a recess on the other, this beam served as an anchor point for lowering heavy objects into the inner chambers.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber H
Chamber H measures 3.05 meters in height, 5.25 meters in width, and 4.37 meters in length. Its walls depict deities in shrines. This chamber has been only partially excavated and cleared; much of its decoration and structure is damaged.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber I
Chamber I measures 3.17 meters in height, 5.25 meters in width, and 5.28 meters in length. Its partially excavated walls show Ramesses III accompanied by various deities. Like Chamber H, it has suffered substantial loss of decoration and structural damage.

circa 1185 BCE

Burial Chamber J
The burial chamber J measures 6.55 meters in height, 13.86 meters in width, and 12.69 meters in length. Its vaulted section lies at a right angle to the axis of the tomb. Four pillars stand on platforms at the front (north) and rear (south) of the sunken central section. Narrow benches topped with a cavetto cornice flank the east and west walls, with a recess set into the center of the wall just above each bench. Its walls are decorated with scenes from the Book of the Dead, Book of Gates, and Book of the Earth, and its pillars show Ramesses III making offerings to Atum, Thoth, Ra-Horakhty, Horus, Osiris-Wennefer, Soped, Anubis, Ptah-Tatjenen, Geb, Ra, Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, Shu, and Onuris.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Ja
Side chamber Ja measures 1.82 meters in height, 2.59 meters in width, and 3.24 meters in length. Partially excavated, its floor is covered with debris from the collapse of its walls and ceiling. The walls are adorned with a bull, seven cows, and sacred oars associated with spell 148 of the Book of the Dead.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Jb
Side chamber Jb measures 1.30 meters in height, 2.63 meters in width, and 2.70 meters in length. Only partly excavated, its floor is also covered with debris. Its walls show two jackals on standards and ten images of Osiris, resembling decoration found in side chamber Ce.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Jc
Side chamber Jc measures 1.31 meters in height, 2.61 meters in width, and 2.87 meters in length. This chamber is partially excavated with debris on the floor from a ceiling collapse. Its walls present the Book of the Heavenly Cow: deities on the right (eastern) wall, texts on the side walls, and a large figure of the cow on the left (western) wall.

circa 1185 BCE

Side Chamber Jd
Side chamber Jd measures 1.82 meters in height, 2.64 meters in width, and 3.44 meters in length. The chamber is partially excavated and strewn with limestone fragments due to a ceiling collapse. The walls depict the Fields of Iaru.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber K1
Chamber K1 measures 2.56 meters in height, 2.61 meters in width, and 2.61 meters in length. It is square in plan and only partially excavated, with stone fragments covering its floor. Its walls depict protective deities in shrines.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber K2
Chamber K2 measures 2.50 meters in height, 2.58 meters in width, and 2.71 meters in length. It is also square in plan, partly excavated, and shows similar protective deity decoration as K1.

circa 1185 BCE

Chamber L
Chamber L measures 2.56 meters in height, 2.62 meters in width, and 8.47 meters in length. Its western wall contains three recesses and its eastern wall two recesses; each recess houses representations of deities on its rear wall. The ceiling is vaulted. Collapse debris consisting of stone chips and fragments lies on the floor.