Tag: Kv64

The Riddle of KV63 – King Tut’s mom?

Heritage Key has premiered a new video with Dr. Zahi HawassThe Riddle of KV63. Again we are treated to the film work of Nico Piazza and Heritage Keys exclusive access to the one person who has unfettered access to all of Egypts mysteries, Dr. Zahi Hawass.

The story of KV63 is an epic tale that has been fraught with cliffhangers and surprises since its discovery several years ago. The name KV63 is a result of the naming conventions used in the Valley of the Kings necropolis near Luxor, Egypt. It essentially means that it is the sixty-third tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings, with KV62 being that of King Tutankhamun.

Why an actual royal name has not been associated with the tomb has to do with the strange turns researchers have had to navigate in unraveling its story. First thought to be a tomb, then thought to be a mummy workshop, it now appears that it may have been both, and Dr. Zahi Hawass thinks we are inching closer to being able to hang a royal name on KV63.

Delayed Gratification

Tomb KV63 was discovered by Dr. Otto Schaden late in the digging season of 2005 in an area where some workers huts belonging to Nineteenth Dynasty tomb builders from Deir el-Medina had been previously excavated. While conducting digs in the area close to KV62, the tomb of Tutankhamun, Schaden found what would later prove to be the shaft of a tomb.

He had to wait until the following year to complete his excavations, but when he was able to resume his team soon discovered an underground chamber consistent with an Eighteenth Dynasty tomb. With Dr. Hawass present, on February 8, 2006, the finding was dubbed KV63 and Otto Schaden was credited with discovering the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings since Howard Carter discovered Tut in 1922.

When the burial chamber of the tomb was further excavated it was found to contain seven sarcophagi which contained embalming tools and materials, but no mummies. It then appeared that what Dr. Schaden had discovered was an embalming cachette. On one level this made senseas Dr. Hawass mentions in the video clip, the eventual discovery of a mummification workshop at the mouth of the valley was expected. But on another level it was odd that the cachette should be discovered in what was clearly a tomb.

Handling With Care

The Riddle of KV63 video contains some great footage of work being conducted inside KV63, including the preparation and movement of the sarcophagi. The wooden coffins have severely deteriorated over the millennia, and we see archaeologists doing the meticulous work of gathering fragments and examining the coffins. There is one very tense scene where one of the sarcophagi is being moved using tools and methods that are probably very similar to those used by the ancients.

He [Dr, Hawass] theorizes that KV63 is actually an Eighteenth Dynasty tomb which was robbed fairly early and then converted into an embalming cachette at some point during the Nineteenth Dynasty.

We are also allowed to see the unusual contents of sarcophagus number six, which was stuffed with what appear to be ancient pillows. Dr. Hawass is cautious not to speculate too much about what purpose they may have served. It seems unfeasible that they served some purpose in the mummification process, as we have never seen them represented or mentioned in such a way before. Perhaps they belonged to the workmen or the priests themselves?

But Dr. Hawass is more willing to speculate with regard to the nature of the site which, as mentioned above, looks a lot more like a tomb than just a workshop. He theorizes that KV63 is actually an Eighteenth Dynasty tomb which was robbed fairly early and then converted into an embalming cachette at some point during the Nineteenth Dynasty. Dr. Hawass goes one step further in naming who he thinks the tomb may have belonged toTutankhamuns mother, Queen Kiya. You will have to watch the video to hear his reasoning behind this. There is a good 30 seconds or so of footage after the credits roll, so stick around!

HD Video: Dr. Zahi Hawass on the Riddle of KV63

(Transcription of this video.)

We also have some great images by Sandro Vannini of the sarcophagus in KV63, as well as a map detailing where each of the artefacts were found. Check out our video page for more videos featuring Zahi Hawass, including the search for KV64, and the lost tombs of Thebes. We’re releasing new videos all the time, so sign up to our RSS feed to stay up to date.

Sandro Vaninni’s Photography: KV63 – The Discovery of the Sarcophagus

Dr Otto Schaden (left) and Dr Zahi Hawass (right) looking over one of the coffin masks discovered in KV63. Image Copyright - Sandro Vannini. 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. Sandro Vannini, the venerable Egyptology photographer, took many photographs from the latest excavations, including one of the most interesting finds – seven wooden sarcophagi.

Although the 18th Dynasty tomb was not used for burial, it was officially declared to be a tomb by the Director of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass, who believes it to have been the intended burial place of Queen Kiya – the mother of King Tutankhamun. The presence of many large storage jars and empty sarcophagi suggests that the tomb was used for the embalming stage of the mummification process.

Heritage Key is working with Sandro to bring his photography online for you to enjoy, and be able to see the excavations from the comfort of your own chair, including more photography from inside KV63 by Sandro Vannini. You can also find out the latest news from the excavations in the Valley of the Kings through our exclusive Heritage Key videos, as well as digitally visiting Ancient Egypt from your own computer, through our online, virtual experience – King Tut Virtual exhibition at Heritage Key VX.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

Suggest a Featured Artefact

We’re taking suggestions! which of King Tut’s treasures you would love to see highlighted on Heritage Key, and we’ll consult Sandro’s extensive archives to see what we can find for you!

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

VIDEO: Dr. Zahi Hawass on the Riddle of KV63

Sandro took several hundreds of photographs whilst at the KV63 site with his Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n camera, capturing archaeologists as they surveyed the tomb and the artefacts they had uncovered. Decades of professional photography experience have honed Sandro’s skills and his photography demonstrates this perfectly – capturing the details of the tomb, and the people behind the work that has gone into excavating it. From the finds inside the tomb, some of the most remarkable are the seven coffins which were found.

The Seven Sarcophagi

Seven wooden sarcophagi found inside Tomb KV63 included one which was sized for a child, and another which had been made to fit an infant. The identity of whom would have occupied these coffins is unknown, but it’s entirely possible that they were created for a family. There is also the possibility that the tomb was used as an embalmer’s room, and the coffins were a stockpile.

Two of the adult coffins and the child-sized coffin were all adorned with a yellow painted mask, which has been hypothesised to signify that the intended occupants would have been female. Glass was also used for the eyes on one of the coffins, which is a material usually reserved only for royalty.

Some of the coffins that were discovered are in a damaged state, as is clearly visible in Sandro’s photographs. All but two of the coffins have suffered from termite damage, which had resulted in a black paste. The termites are thought to have originated from the worker huts above the tomb, and therefore are from the age of Ancient Egypt.

Also found was a smaller wooden coffin, covered in a pink-tinged gold, which is likely to be a funerary figurine. It is completely unmarked, and contained nothing, so identification of whom this coffin belonged to would be difficult.

Called upon to draw the new finds discovered in KV63, Susan Osgood (an artist for the University of Chicago’s Epigraphic Survey) created a sketch of one of the painted sarcophagus, the in-progress of which is shown in one of Sandro’s photographs. Susan Osgood’s archaeological drawings, including those she undertook in Tomb KV63, will be exhibited at the Egyptian Museum of the University of Bonn from the 26th November, continuing until June 2010, after which it will move to the Museum August Kestner in Hanover, showing from July 15th, 2010 until October 2010. More details about the exhibtion can be viewed at Susan Osgood’s website, or at the official dig site of KV63.

One theory suggested revolves around the reign of Tutankhamun’s father, Akhenaten. Whilst in power, Akhenaten dismissed the worship of the old gods in favour of his own deity, Aten. As the residents of Ancient Egypt had been worshipping and relying upon the old gods for many centuries, for a new Pharaoh to come and change such a tradition would likely have caused much uproar.

After Akhenaten’s reign, King Tutankhamun took the throne, and he reinstated the worship of the old gods. It is believed that again there would have been divisions over such a move, with one side possibly finding themselves as the endangered minority. A theory is that KV63 may have been used as a hiding place for the coffins and jars that were found there.

MOVIE: Dr Zahi Hawass in the Valley of the Kings: KV64 is going to be discovered!

In a previously unexplored section of the area, Dr Zahi Hawass’ team uncovered a possible tomb entrance in the Valley of the Kings which saw the discovery of a stairway, which Dr Hawass is hoping will be the discovery of KV64. The possibility of this new discovery, of which the mystery has yet to be revealed, is being excavated by an all-Egyptian team for the first time. It’s not even sure on who may be inside, if this is a tomb either, with Ramesses, Thutmose and Neferiti all being suggested as the possible occupant.

You can see the transcript of the movie over on our video page, as well as seeing other fascinating films from the Valley of the Kings shot by Sandro in our weekly series. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt here at Heritage Key, and if you want to do some discovery of your own, you can explore KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography: Tomb KV63 – Storage Room?

The Site of KV63 in the Valley of the Kings. Image Copyright - Sandro Vannini. 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. Excavations at the tomb continue to this day, as does the hunt for KV64, and the world-renowned photographer Sandro Vannini visited the site to capture scenes of the latest tomb dig in the Valley of the Kings.

Dating from the 18th Dynasty Amarna period, KV63 was officially identified as a tomb by Dr Zahi Hawass, despite there so far being no evidence uncovered that the tomb was used for burial. It is now believed the tomb was used by embalmers as part of the mummification process. Inside the tomb, 7 wooden coffins and more than 28 large storage jars were discovered and all of them revealed several mummification materials, although none contained any mummies. Dr Hawass has also stated that he believes the tomb to be that of Queen Kiya, the mother of King Tutankhamun.

Heritage Key is working with Sandro to bring his photography online for you to enjoy, and be able to see the excavations from the comfort of your own chair. You can also find out the latest news from the excavations in the Valley of the Kings through our exclusive Heritage Key videos.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

VIDEO: Dr. Zahi Hawass on the Riddle of KV63

Sandro took several hundreds of photographs whilst at the KV63 site with his Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n camera, capturing archaeologists as they surveyed the tomb and the artefacts they had uncovered. Decades of professional photography experience have honed Sandro’s skills and his photography demonstrates this perfectly – capturing the details of the tomb, and the people behind the work that has gone into excavating it, we get a real feeling for the atmosphere at Tomb KV63.

The New Tomb (KV63)

Located just 4m underground, and with maximum dimensions of 5.5m long and 4m wide, and a ceiling height of 2m, this isn’t the biggest room you’ll find at the Valley of the Kings. Yet, it was pretty packed full – inside the Eighteenth Dynasty tomb were found seven wooden coffins and at least 28 large jars.

The excavation team hasn’t been without its difficulties though. In January 2008, Dr Schaden cut ties with the University of Memphis (who were his original backers for the expedition) due to differences in opinion, but in a rare move, the Supreme Council of Antiquities stepped in and backed Dr Schaden’s excavations to continue.

The elements have also proved difficult, with the intense heat and dust storms affecting the workers, as well as flash floods threatening the open tomb.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

Suggest a Featured Artefact

We’re taking suggestions! which of King Tut’s treasures you would love to see highlighted on Heritage Key, and we’ll consult Sandro’s extensive archives to see what we can find for you!

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

Shaft

A 5 metre narrow shaft serves as a transport route to lift artefacts out of the tomb. Apulley system has been set up which allows the safe passage of objects to be removed from the tomb without the use of potentially destructive heavy equipment. The fragility of the artefacts requires this passageway to be secure and stable.

Pottery Fragments

Inside KV63, shards of pottery and a wine label were identical to that found in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62) indicating that this tomb too was from the 18th Dynasty period. Some pottery fragments were discovered with gold linings, indicating that this tomb may have served as a royal workshop.

Sarcophagi

The excavations uncovered 7 wooden coffins in the tomb, of which three had been painted with faces. They have been dated to just prior to King Tutankhamun’s reign, and their fragile condition means that restoration has to be done carefully to ensure the sarcophagi don’t disintegrate. Covered in thick, black resin, the coffins contained materials used in mummification as well as the remains of human flesh. Perhaps most telling is that on clearing out the coffins, the team found an imprint on the base, suggesting a mummy had been stored in there. It’s not completely out of the question that somebody stole the mummy of KV63!

Jars

The tomb contains 28 large and sealed jars, which the excavation team have been reopening. At approximately 75cm tall and weighing around 40kg, the jars were made from pottery and alabaster. While most of the sealed jars bore no pharoic markings, one jar was marked with the label “Paaten”, which has been suggested to mean Ankhesenamun – the wife of King Tutankhamun.

Dr Zahi Hawass and the Supreme Council of Antiquities

Dr Zahi Hawass travelled to Luxor on the 10th February 2006 when the International press had the first glimpes of inside the tomb. The Supreme Council of Antiquities has been backing Dr. Schaden’s excavations in the new tomb, and Dr Hawass was the first to enter the tomb as the world’s media watched on. “I really believe that KV63 is the tomb of the mother of King Tut,” Dr Hawass said of the new discovery. “She died when she was delivering him and therefore there was no time to cut a beautiful decorative tomb. That is actually the tomb that the mother should be buried [in]. Why King Tut is buried here? He wanted to be buried beside his mother.”

MOVIE: Dr Zahi Hawass in the Valley of the Kings: KV64 is going to be discovered!

Of course, the search for more tombs continues in the Valley of the Kings, with Dr Hawass having strongly suggested his all-Egyptian team are on the verge of uncovering a new tomb – KV64. In the video below, he shares some of the finds at the site of the excavations, and explains that he disagrees with those who believe nothing more is left to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings – for him and his Egyptian team are going to discover KV64!

You can see the transcript of the movie over on our Video Page, as well as seeing other fascinating films from the Valley of the Kings shot by Sandro in our weekly series. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt right here at Heritage Key, as well as being able to explore KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Dr Zahi Hawass Shows New Artifacts Discovered in the Valley of the Kings

In Zahi Hawass in the Valley of the Kings: Part 1, Dr. Hawass caught us up on how excavations were progressing in the Central Valley area of the Valley of the Kings, particularly with the northern side, between the tombs of Ramesses II and Merneptah, and the area to the south of Tutankhamuns tomb. Watch part 2!

In my analysis of what the Part 1 said – and left unsaid – I pointed out that theWestern Valley dig was conspicuously absent from the discussion.

Well, it remains such. The second video makes no mention of KV64 at all, much less the Western Valley dig. Dr. Hawass devotes this clip to some of the artifacts recovered from the excavations in the Valley of the Kings in general, and while royal tombs are the real headline grabbers, artifacts will always be the coin of the realm. Taking Dr. Hawass at his word, our anticipation is undoubtedly being stoked for some major revelations, and the pieces he shares in this video are interesting and informative, and even a bit provocative, for a number of reasons.

Artefacts from the Valley of the Kings

Cartouches of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III
Sandro Vannini - Valley of the Kings - Cartouches of Hatshepsut and Thutmoses III

Keeping count of what the workmen at the Valley of the Kings eat
Sandro Vannini - Valley of the Kings - Workman Food Consumption

Weret Hem Netjer – The Great God’s Wife
Sandro Vannini - Valley of the Kings - Weret Hem Netjer

Queen Tiy
Sandro Vannini Valley of the Kings Queen Tiy

An ancient Egyptian girlfriend?
Sandro Vannini - Valley of the Kings - Ancient Egyptian Imaginary Girlfriend

A couple of pieces are directly related to the work of the tomb builders who were encamped at the site 3000 years ago. One is a manifest listing the daily amount of food required to support the workforce. Another piece appears to show the floor plan of a tomb under construction. Looking like a modern blueprint, the image is a top-down view of the tomb and a section of the entrance hall. There is even a grid marked on the plan showing the dimensions of the hallway and the tomb.

18th Dynasty Pinup Girl

Dr. Hawass also shows two artifacts that seem to give a hint of how the workmen spent their leisure time. One is an Eighteenth Dynasty pinup girl. While the artist isnt exactly what one might call a prodigy, we get a relatively clear idea of his taste. The other, well, maybe I should let Zahi describe this rather flattering self-portrait. It appears after the credits roll, so be sure to stick around for it.

Hatshepsut and Thumose III

One of the pieces may contribute to our understanding of some of the most interesting personalities of the New Kingdom Period. It shows the cartouches of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III side by side, which seems to challenge the long-held notion that the latter held great enmity for the former, going so far as to obliterate all references to her. Dr. Hawass says that this shard bolsters the position that the destruction may have instead occurred at the hands of officials who didnt like the idea of a female pharaoh.

When Thutmose II died, the only successor to the throne was Thutmose III. This resulted in a delicate situation for two reasons. First, Thutmose III was the son of Iset, one of the pharaohs lesser wives, not Hatshepsut, who held the title of Great Royal Wife. The second issue was Thutmose IIIs age. He was too young to rule on his own, so Hatshepsut was appointed co-regent. The result was a young pharaoh who had to share power with a woman who was not his actual mother.

Women had ruled Egypt in the past, but Hatshepsut didnt just rule as a co-regent, she actually took on the title and accoutrements of pharaoh, false beard and all. In addition, she was recognized as pharaoh by the court, and ruled Egypt with a great deal of independence until her death. This has led to speculation that Thutmose III may have harboured a deep resentment for Hatshepsut.

Late in Thutmose IIIs reign, long after Hatshepsuts death, a determined effort was made to literally rip her memory from Egyptian history. Her cartouches and likenesses were gouged away and her statues smashed and buried. For many years Egyptologists concluded that this was a result of Thutmose IIIs acrimony at having spent years in Hatshepsuts shadow. According to Dr. Hawass, this notion is challenged by the appearance of their cartouches together.

There are other reasons for doubting that Hatshepsuts posthumous banishment was the result of a royal tantrum by Thutmose III. For one, the defacing began some twenty years after her death, which is a long time for someone with absolute power to await revenge on someone who is already dead. For another, Hatshepsut had placed her coregent in charge of the military, and there are no indications he ever attempted to usurp the throne, though he almost certainly could have.

There are other more likely culprits for this particularly focused and prolonged wave of vandalism. One would be, as Dr. Hawass stated, the misogyny of royal officials who, interestingly enough, did not attempt to vent their displeasure while Thutmose III was a younger and more capable ruler. Another suspect, also cited by Dr. Hawass, is Amenhotep II, who served as coregent with Thutmose III during the latters twilight years. This is given further credence by the fact that the defacements continued under Amenhotep IIs reign after Thutmose III had died. Most Egyptologists agree that the predominance of evidence points away from Thutmose III.

Weret Hem Netjer, or the “Great God’s Wife”

But possibly the most interesting artifact Dr. Hawass shares with us in this video clip is a small piece inscribed with the title Great Gods Wife (weret hem netjer) and lists the name of a previously unknown queen, the name of which he gives as Tiy (or possibly Tiye, who is hardly unknown). He declines to expand further on this particular find.

VIDEO:Dr. Hawass in the Valley of the Kings (part 2)

Speaking for myself, I have gotten used to Dr. Hawass dispatches raising more questions than answers, namely because I have faith that he is soon to reveal some really great discoveries. I was a bit let down that he didnt fill us in on how the excavations in the Western Valley are going, or for that matter, mention KV64 at all. But he has promised that there will be a tomb revealed in October, so his team has found something. The question is: what? And where?

I havent heard anything about a Zahi Hawass in the Valley of the Kings: Part 3. Maybea Part Three is in the works. Who can know? But you can be sure that if a Part 3 pops up, you will find it here at Heritage Key, and I will be blogging about it.

While you wait, why not explore King Tut’s tomb? Impossible you say? Welcome to the 21st Century, my friend! Heritage Key makes it possible for you to ramble through Tutankhamun’s tomb in virtual reality. Try it out!

Tomb KV64 in the Valley of the Kings: Nefertiti, Queen Tiye, or Weret-Whats-Her-Name?

Heritage Key has posted a new video of Dr. Zahi Hawass by Sandro Vannini and Nico Piazzadiscussing 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, lets face itwhat we are looking for is news of the next tomb.

Dr. Hawass has been closing in on what he hopes will be the tomb of Ramesses VIII, but regardless of whose name will eventually adorn the entrance, KV64 is the goal.If his team is successful, theevent will be historical for an additional reasonit will be the first tomb discovered by an Egyptian team, something of import for Egyptian national pride, not to mention a fine feather in Zahis fedora before he retires from the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

In the video Dr. Hawass reviews some of the areas of interest in the Central Valley area.He mentions the northern side of the Central Valley, between the tombs of Ramesses II and Merneptah, where a drainage system built by the ancient Egyptians to catch the tears of the gods was discovered.As I alluded to in a previous blog about KV64, the flood patterns of the Valley of the Kings are a major indicator of where the next tomb will be found, and you can expect to read more about that on Heritage Key very soon.

In addition to the waterworks, there are ruins of huts from an ancient workmens camp in the northern area.These were originally discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, but left unexcavated until recently.A storage area for food and water was discovered as well, all signs that point to a busy spot for tomb builders.

VIDEO:Dr Hawass in the Valley of the Kings: KV64 is going to be discovered! (part 1 of 2)

( We’ve transcribed this video for you!)

Dr. Hawass also talks about the area to the south of the tomb of Tutankhamun, where nine storage rooms were found containing mortuary equipment and materials for offerings. In addition, the remains of huts were discovered there, which Dr. Hawass says were temporary housing for the workers from Deir el-Medina.The southern area is adjacent to KV63, which was as a storage area for funerary equipment, meaning that a mummification workshop may have existed on the site (Note: KV63 may yet prove to be more than a storage room.. Keep checking back).

Just imagine If the new tomb turns out to be the mysterious unknown queen whose partial name is Weret, and the tomb of Queen Tiye is discovered in the Western Valley, and the tomb of Nefertiti is found

All in all, the video is fairly short and is mostly a review of what has already been released. Dr. Hawass concludes by saying that KV64 will be discovered by the Egyptian team.But is there anything that goes unsaid that could point us in the direction of KV64?

We do know from a press release, “Latest News from the Valley of the Kings,”that Dr. Hawass and his team are actually working in three areasthe northern area, the southern area, and an area of the Western Valley where the tombs of Amenhotep III and Ay are located.This last area, the Western Valley, is conspicuously absent from this video.Dr. Hawass believes this is where the tomb of Queen Tiye, among others, may be located.His silence on this third area may mean nothing.Then again, this video is labeled Dr. Hawass in the Valley of the KingsPart 1.

There have been many intriguing discoveries made by Hawass team in the Central Valley area that suggest a number of possibilities for KV64 (and KV65, and KV66..).There is the ancient graffiti, originally recorded by Jaroslav Czerny and rediscovered by Hawass team, stating that Vizier Userhat built a tomb for his father, Amennakht, in the vicinity.There is an inscription mentioning an unknown queen whose partial name is Weret.Yet another (or possibly the same) queen is depicted on an ostracon presenting offerings.

Tears of the Gods in the Valley of the Kings by Sandro Vannini And although it is important to Dr. Hawass thatthe Egyptian team makes the discovery, there are non-Egyptians whose work in the area has indicated that there are tombs waiting to be found.Stephen Cross article, “The Hydrology of the Valley of the Kings, from the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (no. 94, 2008) makes a case for tombs hidden under sediment from flash flooding.Dr. Otto Schaden, who discovered KV63 using tried and true archeological methods, also continues to work nearby with the Amenmesse Project, although this project is now under the aegis of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, making it not strictly non-Egyptian.

Zahi Hawass has already indicated that a new tomb will be revealed in October, and that he hopes to announce the discovery of Nefertitis tomb in the winter.If the announcement in October turns out to be the tomb of Queen Tiye, then instead of the Year of Nefertiti, Dr. Hawass last year could be the Year of Egyptian Royal Women.

Just imagineIf the new tomb turns out to be the mysterious unknown queen whose partial name is Weret, and the tomb of Queen Tiye is discovered in the Western Valley, and the tomb of Nefertiti is foundBut I am getting ahead of myself.Maybe it will just be Ramesses VIII.(Did I just say just Ramesses VIII?)

For now we will have to await Valley of the KingsPart 2.That and the promised announcement for October.Like the video says, To Be Continued

In the meanwhile, do your own virtual exploration of KV62, King Tut’s tomb! If you are down below when KV64 is discovered, we will send for you. You have my word.

Ramesses, Thutmose or Nerfertiti? The Search for KV64

The designation KV is part of the naming convention used for tombs in the Valley of the Kingsinthe necropolis across the Nile from Luxor. Tombs discovered in the Kings Valley are given a KV number, in the order of their discovery, and tombs found in the West Valley receive a WV number. The most recent royal tomb, KV62, is that of King Tutankhamun, discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter.

So why do we skip from KV62 to KV64? That can be chalked up to an embarrassing lesson on how early one should summon the international press, detailed below. The story of KV64 begins with a survey conducted by the Amarna Royal Tombs Project (ARTP) from 1998 to 2002 in the central area of the Valley of the Kings. The location is fertile ground for Eighteenth Dynasty tombs, and Nicholas Reeves, director of the project, was specifically looking for the Tomb of Nefertiti, along with other family members of the heretic king, Akhenaten.

Are two tombs to be revealed – some as-of-yet unnamed royal in October (KV64), and Nefertiti in the winter (KV65)?

In the autumn of 2000 Reeves appeared to hit the jackpot. During surveys conducted with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) his team discovered no less than nine anomalies that showed the tell-tale signs of being tombs. Unfortunately, before Dr. Reeves could begin excavating his discoveries in earnest he suffered the first of a series of discouraging setbacks. False charges of antiquities smuggling were leveled against him and in 2002 his license to survey and excavate was suspended.

Reeves decided to hold off on publishing his discovery until he returned to the Valley of the Kings, but it was never to be. Although he was cleared of all charges by the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 2005, he was denied permission to resume his work.

Good Storage, but no Tomb

Meanwhile, another dig was underway in the area of Reeves survey. Dr. Otto Schaden of the University of Memphis was conducting excavations in the central valley as part of his Amenmesse Tomb Project. Schadens team was clearing the rubble away from some Nineteenth Dynasty workers huts when they found a straight edge that could only be worked stone. The edge turned out to be the opening of a vertical shaft. Without knowledge of Dr. Reeves survey, the team had independently discovered an entryway exactly where Reeves had detected one of his anomalies.

The discovery occurred on March 10, 2005, which was too late in the digging season for excavation. The following year, however, work resumed and sure enough Dr. Schaden had discovered an underground chamber. On February 8, 2006, with the international media in attendance, Zahi Hawass visited the site and credited Dr. Schaden with discovering the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings sinceCarter found Tutankhamun.

The finding was dubbed KV63, but its declaration as a tomb was premature. Although seven wooden coffins were found in the chamber, all were empty but one, which was packed with pillows. There were also embalming tools and jars of natron, the salt used in mummification, and so it was determined that KV63 was actually a storage room. The trophy for the most recent tomb discovery would remain with Howard Carter.

The Buzz Begins

At this point Reeves decided to reveal that his survey had indicated that a tomb, or in this case, a storage room, would be exactly where KV63 was found. According to an August 3, 2006, interview with Archaeology Magazine (“Another New Tomb in the Valley of the Kings?“), Reeves claimed that his decision to come forward was to protect the site itself: I don’t want to see it damaged in a random, aimless hunt for more tombs. In other words, he knew the discovery of a storage room would raise expectations of finding a tomb, and rather than have the site destroyed by willy-nilly treasure hunting, he hoped his maps would urge caution.

Dr. Reeves revealed his own detailed analysis of the 2000 survey when he posted it to his website in 2008. His maps showed the anomalies, labeled Features 1-9, with KV63 being labeled Feature 6. The area where he believed KV64 would be discovered was labeled Feature 5.

Nicholas Reeves wasnt the only person to suggest that the location of his favorite anomaly, Feature 5, might conceal a tomb. In February 2006 a geologist named Stephen Cross was studying ancient flood patterns in the Valley of the Kings. Judging from concentrations of flood debris, Cross determined that a good place to look for undiscovered tombs would be the area east of Tutankhamuns tomb, close to where Reeves claimed KV64 should be located.

The Buzzkill – More Storage Buildings

Since 2007 Zahi Hawass has been working with the first all-Egyptian archaeological team in an effort to locate the tomb of Ramesses VIII. His focus is the area between the tombs of Ramesses II (KV7) and Merenptah (KV8), but in the 2008-09 digging season he decided to divert some of his resources to exploring Reeves Feature 5 anomaly. The dig succeeded in unearthing the foundations of several small storage buildings dating from the Ramessid Period, but no tomb.

The excavation also revealed that the floor of the valley in that area was about six meters down, which is probably too deep for the GPR used by Reeves. Dr. Hawass concluded that the anomalies detected in that area were nothing more than a reflection of one or more of these [storage buildings] stone foundations. After examining more of Reeves anomalies, Hawass concluded that his analysis failed to account for naturally occurring geological formations and interference from such modern artifacts as electrical wires. (For the full story, read In Search of the Truth About KV64, by Zahi Hawass.)

The Search Continues

For now, the placard of KV64 remains reserved and unclaimed. Potential contenders would include other Eighteenth Dynasty personalities such asThutmose II, or the Twentieth Dynasty pharaoh Ramesses VIII, but one intriguing possibility is Nefertiti. In his August 7th lecture at Clowes Hall in Indianapolis, Zahi Hawass stated that a new tomb would be revealed in October, 2009, and the location of Nefertiti would be disclosed sometime in the winter of 2009-10. After all, this whole story began with a search for the elusive queen and her family.

The ambiguity (possibly intentional) of these statements has lit the fires of conjecture and speculation. Are two tombs to be revealed – some as-of-yet unnamed royal in October (KV64), and Nefertiti in the winter (KV65)? Or will KV64 and Nefertitis tomb be one discovery stretched out over two press conferences? Only time, and Dr. Hawass, will tell.