Submitted by Keith Payne on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 12:45
Heritage Key has premiered a new video with Dr. Zahi Hawass—The Riddle of KV63. Again we are treated to the film work of Nico Piazza and Heritage Key’s exclusive access to the one person who has unfettered access to all of Egypt’s mysteries, Dr. Zahi Hawass.
Dr Zahi Hawass takes us into KV63 and explains the riddle of several deteriorating sarchophagi that were found inside the tomb. Hypothesising that it was used as a storage for mummification, Dr Hawass shares some of his thoughts on the artefacts and what they may have been used for. Alongside the excavation lead Dr Otto Schaden, Dr Hawass looks over some of the sarcophagi discovered at KV63.
When KV63 was discovered in 2006, it represented the first tomb to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 80 years, since the famous explorer Howard Carter uncovered the treasures of the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. It restored hope that there is still more mystery to uncovered in the region which was said to contain no more secrets, and even today the hunt continues to find what is hidden in the next tomb - KV64.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Tue, 09/29/2009 - 16:21
I've been writing for Heritage Key for some time now, and while I've always been fascinated by the sights, epic history and exciting new developments at Luxor, I'd always thought of it as a world away; something to save up for at a later date while making good with short trips to the usual European city stops. Yet a quick glance online told me that, with a little frugality, I could make Luxor my summer holiday for relatively little expense and ever smaller hassle. So, spurred on by a glut of package destination sites and my love of the ancient world, I announced my intentions to a slightly bewildered yet enthusiastic girlfriend.
For many years, people said the Valley of the Kings had revealed all its secrets.. but then came KV63. In 2006, a team from the University of Memphis, headed by Dr Otto Schaden, were excavating the Tomb of King Amenmesse (KV10) when they accidentally uncovered something new. Noticing white stone fragments near where material was being removed, the team uncovered the first tomb to have been found in the last 80 years, since Howard Carter's startling discovery of KV62 - the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
You might think that callous tomb raiders, heavy-handed archaeologists or the hordes of tourists that have flocked to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt over the centuries might be the culprits responsible for most of the abundant damage inflicted upon the world’s most famous graveyard over the centuries. But in fact, it’s Mother Nature who most hold her hand up and accept responsibility for that.
Flash floods, caused by violent thunderstorms and occurring about every one or two centuries, have been the scourge of the Theban Hills as long as history can remember, and they’ve taken a heavy toll on its tombs. How did ancient Egyptians cope? And is there a risk that – if the heavens open so wide again soon – further damage might be caused yet?
When it Rains, it Pours
Highlighted Quote:
“We cannot prevent the rainfall but by the judicious angling and sloping of footpaths we can direct those floods away from the tomb entrances and out of the valley before they do any damage.”
American Egyptologist and Director of the Amenmesse Project
Dr. Otto Schaden was a lecturer at the University of Minnesota in the 1970s, teaching Middle Egyptian language.
In 2006, Dr Schaden led a team from the University of Memphis on an excavation of KV10 (The Tomb of Amenmesse) and in the process of the dig, the team made the discovery of a new tomb - KV63, the first tomb to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings in over 80 years. Dr Schaden parted company with the University of Memphis in January 2008, and his work in the newly discovered tomb is now represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egypt.
KV63 was discovered between KV10 and KV62 by a University of Memphis team headed by Otto Schaden and later supported by Dr Zawi Hawass and the Supreme Council of Antiquities. It is the first tomb to have been discovered in the Valley of the Kings since Howard Carter's famous discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Submitted by Keith Payne on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 18:46
Heritage Key has posted a new video of Dr. Zahi Hawass by Sandro Vannini and Nico Piazza discussing the current excavations in the Central Valley area of the Valley of the Kings, or what we like to call the Quest for KV64. While the photography of Sandro Vannini alone makes the clip worth viewing, let’s face it—what we are looking for is news of the next tomb.
Visiting Luxor today, it’s tempting to see the East Bank, with Karnak and Luxor temples as the main historic area, with mostly burial grounds on the West Bank. During the New Kingdom when Waset, as the Egyptians knew Luxor, was at its heyday things were quite different.
Highlighted Quote:
Perhaps the biggest mystery is what happened when many of the tombs were cleared in the 21st dynasty, probably under the direction of Herihor
When 
I've been writing for Heritage Key for some time now, and while I've always been fascinated by the sights, epic history and exciting new developments at 
For many years, people said the 
