Merenptah, the 14th son of Ramesses II is buried in KV 8. He did not attain the throne until he was in his fifties, since his father outlived the first thirteen of his sons and rule well into his 90s. The tomb is about 80 m long and lies near the tomb of Ramesses II.

The tomb itself shows a distinct stylistic difference between the early 19th Dynasty tombs and those of teh 20th Dynasty — there are fewer rooms and the ceilings are higher, and the tomb has straightened out and has a larger entrance

The tomb has been open since antiquity and throughout the greek and roman periods was open to at least the first pillared hall, which is covered in grafitti. The ceilings are decorated with vultures.