KV64

KV64 Tomb of

KV64 (Kings ' Valley no 64) is an ancient Egyptian grave with the number 64 in the Valley of the Kings. It was discovered in January 2011 in the framework of which began in 2009, " University of Basel Kings' Valley Project " by Egyptologists of the University of Basel under the direction of Susanne Bickel. The discovery is considered a " chance find " because it was not specifically looking for graves. However, the opening of the tomb and the excavations were carried out only in January 2012, nearly a year after the actual discovery.

KV64 KV63 is after 2005 found by Otto Schaden only the second found in the Valley and excavated the tomb since the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun ( KV62 ) in 1922 by Howard Carter.

Location and discovery

KV64 is located on the causeway to grave KV34, the grave of Thutmosis III. , Which was discovered in 1898 by Victor Loret. It is located directly adjacent to the discovered also by Loret KV40, which is why it was originally the name KV40b before it could be identified as a separate grave. The grave was discovered on 25 January 2011, the first day of the Egyptian revolution. Due to the political situation, but it was closed immediately and the work was resumed with the permission of the Ministry of Antiques on 8 January 2012.

Excavation and finds

KV64 was found closed. The first studies showed that the rock grave is to be classified in the 18th Dynasty ( New Kingdom ). It shows no signs of water damage due to flooding, as this can often occur in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb is without robbing and consists of a shaft and a single chamber. The up close to 80 cm below the ceiling filled with rubble chamber has a size of 4 m in north-south and 2.4 m east-west orientation.

In the upper part of the tomb was found on a thick layer of debris lying a black, well-preserved coffin with the well wrapped mummy of an approximately 1.55 m tall woman. The inscriptions on the wooden coffin mention the name Nehemes - Bastet, is presumed that it is her coffin. (Cm 27.5 cm x 22.5 cm x 2) According to the text of the found at the foot of the coffin small wooden Nehemes Tele - Bastet was the daughter of a priest in Karnak and bore the title "Singer of Amun ".

The excavation team dated the discovery of the coffin and the small wooden Tele in the 22nd Dynasty ( Third Intermediate Period ). Elina Paulin - Grothe noted that " in KV64 at a distance of about 500 years took place two funerals. " This first and original burial is dated to the 18th Dynasty, however, due to the debris found fragments of wood and ceramics. The actual grave owner is unknown. Other parts of the first grave equipment that was probably robbed in antiquity and before the second use will be presumed in the rubble of the tomb.

Burials of private individuals in the Valley of the Kings, there were mainly in the 18th Dynasty, in the officials had earned the honor to be buried here ( Userhat: KV45, Maiherperi: KV36, vizier Amenemopet: KV48 ) and the Third Intermediate Period ( KV44 ) as the Valley of the Kings was no longer the burial place of kings. At the latter stage, the well-preserved burial in KV64 belongs.

Assignments of grave number

The number " KV64 " has already been assigned twice in the past. The radar anomaly discovered during the work of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project ( ARTP ) in 2000, received from Nicholas Reeves " tentatively " the name of KV64. 2008 Zahi Hawass, the former director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA ) said in an interview to have the input of both KV64 KV65 as discovered. Among the measures announced by him for the October of that year excavations and studies of both discoveries was publicly unknown.