KV54
Encyclopedia
Tomb KV54 is located in the Valley of the Kings
, in Egypt
. It was originally excavated by Edward R. Ayrton
on behalf of the American lawyer Theodore M. Davis
, who funded the work.
, animal bones, floral collars and linen containing text dated to the final years of the then little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun
.
In 1909 Davis donated the finds he was allowed to take out of Egypt (the contents of six of the storage jars), which were of little intrinsic value, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York City, where they currently reside and are on display. Davis declared to the press that he had found the tomb of Tutankhamun, and he published his findings in a book called The Tombs of Harmhabi and Touatankhamanou (using the then-current French spellings for the pharaohs Horemheb
and Tutankhamun respectively) in 1912.
One of the critical finds from KV54 was a piece of linen marked with hieratic
text saying "The good god, Lord of the Two Lands, Nebkheperure [the Prenomen of Tutankhamun], beloved of Min. Linen of year 6." Recognizing that KV54 did not represent Tutankhamun's actual tomb, and that it did signal the existence of a yet-to-be discovered tomb, archaeologist Howard Carter
, who would eventually find the real Tomb of Tutankhamun
, corresponded with the Metropolitan's Egyptological Director Herbert Winlock on this subject in 1915.
In 1923, Winlock, who had subsequently found similar contents in other excavations throughout the Theban necropolis, instead identified the contents of KV54 not as an actual tomb, but an embalming cache
, representing the refuse left over from the mummification of the pharaoh, rather than his "tomb". The food and other related items likely came from a funerary banquet held at the pharaoh's interment. He estimated that there had been a total of eight official mourners who had attended the burial.
When Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922, similar items were found in the entrance corridor, and it is thought that after the first robbery attempt of the tomb, the embalming cache material was moved to the pit that was KV54, and the corridor filled with rocky debris in order to stop any future robbery attempts.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
, in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It was originally excavated by Edward R. Ayrton
Edward R. Ayrton
Edward Russell Ayrton was an English Egyptologist and archaeologist.He was the son of William Scrope Ayrton and his wife Ellen Louisa McClatchie, and was born in Wuhu, China, on 17 December 1882...
on behalf of the American lawyer Theodore M. Davis
Theodore M. Davis
Theodore M. Davis was an American lawyer and is best known for his excavations in Egypt's Valley of the Kings between 1902 and 1914.-Biography:...
, who funded the work.
Site history
Not so much a tomb but a small pit located near the tomb of Seti I, it contained about a dozen large sealed storage jars. Within the jars were contained assorted equipment and objects that had been carefully packed. It contained pottery, dishes, bags of natronNatron
Natron is a naturally occurring mixture of sodium carbonate decahydrate and about 17% sodium bicarbonate along with small quantities of household salt and sodium sulfate. Natron is white to colourless when pure, varying to gray or yellow with impurities...
, animal bones, floral collars and linen containing text dated to the final years of the then little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
.
In 1909 Davis donated the finds he was allowed to take out of Egypt (the contents of six of the storage jars), which were of little intrinsic value, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York City, where they currently reside and are on display. Davis declared to the press that he had found the tomb of Tutankhamun, and he published his findings in a book called The Tombs of Harmhabi and Touatankhamanou (using the then-current French spellings for the pharaohs Horemheb
Horemheb
Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty from either 1319 BC to late 1292 BC, or 1306 to late 1292 BC although he was not related to the preceding royal family and is believed to have been of common birth.Before he became pharaoh, Horemheb was the commander in chief...
and Tutankhamun respectively) in 1912.
One of the critical finds from KV54 was a piece of linen marked with hieratic
Hieratic
Hieratic refers to a cursive writing system that was used in the provenance of the pharaohs in Egypt and Nubia that developed alongside the hieroglyphic system, to which it is intimately related...
text saying "The good god, Lord of the Two Lands, Nebkheperure [the Prenomen of Tutankhamun], beloved of Min. Linen of year 6." Recognizing that KV54 did not represent Tutankhamun's actual tomb, and that it did signal the existence of a yet-to-be discovered tomb, archaeologist Howard Carter
Howard Carter
Howard Carter may refer to:* Howard Carter , English archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb* Howard Carter , American basketball player...
, who would eventually find the real Tomb of Tutankhamun
KV62
KV62 is the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings , which became famous for the wealth of treasure it contained. The tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, underneath the remains of workmen's huts built during the Ramesside Period; this explains why it was spared from the worst of...
, corresponded with the Metropolitan's Egyptological Director Herbert Winlock on this subject in 1915.
In 1923, Winlock, who had subsequently found similar contents in other excavations throughout the Theban necropolis, instead identified the contents of KV54 not as an actual tomb, but an embalming cache
Embalming cache
An embalming cache is a collection of material that was used by the Ancient Egyptians in the mummification process and then buried either with or separately from the body...
, representing the refuse left over from the mummification of the pharaoh, rather than his "tomb". The food and other related items likely came from a funerary banquet held at the pharaoh's interment. He estimated that there had been a total of eight official mourners who had attended the burial.
When Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922, similar items were found in the entrance corridor, and it is thought that after the first robbery attempt of the tomb, the embalming cache material was moved to the pit that was KV54, and the corridor filled with rocky debris in order to stop any future robbery attempts.
External links
- Theban Mapping Project: KV54 – Plans of the tomb and other details .