How King Tut’s Tomb Avoided Robbery

“When the tomb was found it was completely by accident,” explains Dr Zahi Hawass, of Howard Carter’s discovery of KV62, at the start of the final instalment of Heritage Key’s four-part video interview series King Tut Revealed, filmed by Nico Piazza and featuring still photography by Sandro Vannini.

Having already, in previous videos, disclosed the cause of Tutankhamun’s death, shared his thoughts on the curse that apparently befalls all who tamper with the boy king’s tomb, and revealed some of the jewellery and other treasures buried with the boy king, Hawass this time talks about tomb robbers in the Valley of the Kings, and why they weren’t ever able to locate and plunder Tut’s treasure-strewn resting place.

As he mentions, Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb was by pure chance, while making a general sweep of the area. For thousands of years, no one could be certain where Tut was buried, thanks to a fortuitous mistake by the carvers of the nearby tomb of Ramesses VI. It was this that caused KV62, when it was finally located and entered in 1922, to be almost completely intact, unlike almost every other ancient tomb found in the Valley of the Kings to date.

A Stroke of Luck

Tut’s tomb did have its visitors, all in the pharonic era. “The tomb was entered three times,” says Hawass, “after that the police of the cemetery sealed the tomb.” It could still have been robbed again, though – other tombs were sealed, yet still plundered.

As Hawass explains, KV62 enjoyed a particular stroke of luck. “The tomb of Ramesses VI, which is next door to this tomb, when they were cutting this tomb, a stone fell down and covered the entrance to the tomb of Tutankhamun,” he says. “We have to thank the workmen who were working on the cutting of the tomb of Ramesses VI – because of them, the tomb was saved.” Not another soul would set foot inside KV62 for almost 2000 years.

More Intact Tombs?

If Tut’s tomb got so lucky, then who’s to say that others didn’t too? Hawass points out that of the 63 tombs located so far in the Valley of the Kings, KV46 – the grave of the powerful courtier Yuya and his wife Tjuyu, found in 1905 – is the only other semi-intact one found to date, with KV62 being found fully intact. But there might be others out there, waiting to be discovered by an archaeologist as fluky as Carter.

And what if the residents of these tombs were even more important individuals than Tut? It wouldn’t be hard – he was a very minor king by the standards of the time. “King Tut ruled for ten years, and look what we found inside his tomb of treasure,” Hawass enthuses. “Can you imagine if the tomb of Ramesses II, who ruled for more than 66 years, could be discovered intact?”

East 'v' West

Some hints as to why so many tombs in the Valley of the Kings have been plundered can possibly be derived from a political spat that is known to have kicked-off in Thebes in the 20th Dynasty, around 1100 BC. “The mayor of the east bank found evidence that the mayor of the west bank was robbing the tombs,” Hawass explains. The dispute is outlined in the 20th Dynasty Abbott Papyrus, which is held by the British Museum in London.

An investigation was launched, but it back-fired on Paser – mayor of the east bank – since the Abbott Papyrus appears to admonish his rival Paweraa and instead cast Paser in a bad light. “They wrote a report and they wrote ‘everything is fine,’” says Hawass. Only the tomb of King Sobekemzaf II of the Seventeenth Dynasty (1650-1550 BC) is mentioned as having been violated. But there’s a belief that Paweraa did have a hand in tomb robberies, and used this report as a way of covering his tracks by casting suspicion on Paser.

Whoever was guilty, the Abbott Papyrus is a very important document. “It was the first account of a tomb robbery,” Hawass points out.

The New Tomb of King Tut?

Hawass rounds off by again stressing that, “in the Valley of the Kings, there are tombs that we have not found yet.” Within these hidden burial chambers may be some of the most famous figures of ancient Egypt. “The tomb of Nefertiti is not found yet,” says Dr Zahi, “and the tomb of Amenhotep I is not found yet.”

The discovery of KV62 took a massive stroke of luck, but it’s almost 80 years since it was found now – surely archaeologists working in the Valley of the Kings are due another one soon? Hawass sounds hopeful that the big break is coming. “Maybe we will repeat the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun?” he concludes.

Perhaps it will be that of Cleopatra?

HD Video: King Tut Revealed (Part 4/4) – Tomb Robbers

(Click here for the transcript of this video)

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