Cache Tomb Discovered in Egypt\'s Valley of the Kings
02-15-08 - Africa —
KV-63 is the first cache tomb to be discovered in Egypt\\\'s Valley of the Kings since 1922. It\\\'s proximity to the famous tomb of the boy king, Tutankhamon, KV-62, is key. Tut\\\'s tomb was discovered by Englishman Howard Carter in 1922. KV-63 lies approximately 14 meters from the edge of KV-62.
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KV-63 is the first cache tomb to be discovered in Egypt\\\'s Valley of the Kings since 1922. It\\\'s proximity to the famous tomb of the boy king, Tutankhamon, KV-62, is key. Tut\\\'s tomb was discovered by Englishman Howard Carter in 1922. KV-63 lies approximately 14 meters from the edge of KV-62.
This cache tomb discovered in 2006 consisted of burial goods, and some rare articles, perhaps hastily stowed away after the pharaoh was laid to rest. The discovery has not been without its problems. Besides identification, it has the potential of being an even more important discovery since most of its contents are yet to be analyzed and researched. Continual delays due to personal and professional reasons have kept the team of about 20 professionals waiting to return. The team is led by distinguished Professor (& Mission Director) Otto Schaden and Director Earl Ertmann. Despite delays, security & funding issues with re-opening this cache tomb in the valley, getting clearance and permits from the SCA is crucial. The Supreme Council of Antiquities is headed by Zahi Hawass. \\\"It\\\'s not easy to just go and work in Egypt. Security issues are important and a specific plan has to be drawn up and presented to the Egyptian government before applying for a permit. Funding is key also. Unfortunately, most of Egypt\\\'s discoveries made in the 19th & 20th centuries were by countries that kept the antiquities & put them in their own museums. One example of this is the famous, beautiful bust of Nefertiti, which is still in the Berlin museum.\\\"
\\\"However, Zahi Hawass, head of the SCA is trying to get all Egypt\\\'s valuables returned to the country. Getting the permit for the KV-63 team to return to curate, research, and analyze the items from KV-63 was a monumental step in 2007.\\\"
There\\\'s a lot of speculation as to what this cache tomb is & what Pharaoh it\\\'s related to. Like a lot of famous discoveries, it was discovered while the team was working on another tomb, called KV-10, the Tomb of Amenmesse. While digging at KV-10, the team uncovered a step, the first sign of a (royal) tomb. When opened, however, KV-63 purported to be a cache room filled with seven (7) 18th Dynasty-like, Middle Kingdom sarcophagus (coffins) including a small gold coffin, plus numerous funeral regalia. After examining some of the contents, including large filled pottery jar containers, rare pillows, Osiris and Necropolis seals, plus hundreds of other items, the general consensus was that the tomb may indeed be related to someone important in this 18th Dynasty, perhaps Tutankhamun\\\'s mother, Kiwa, a lesser wife of the heretic pharaoh Akenaten, whose tomb has never been found. Little doubt exists of its importance to this time period. In the future KV-63 could help answer many questions and solve some of the great mysteries of the 18th Dynasty chronology, the young pharaohs reign, his early death, who his relatives were and many other important questions.
Early on the KV-63 team Mission changed its affiliation and is now officially identified as a project under the SCA. Prof. Schaden made an official announcement in October that the Amenmesse Project [KV-10 and KV-63] is now affiliated with the prestigious, Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) ~ The Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The SCA, are ‘Guardians of the Monuments’ in Egypt and require all missions to report directly to them for their approval and sanction. This amiable relationship has been the case during past seasons with KV-10 and during the clearance of KV-63, so this closer affiliation with the SCA should be beneficial to all concerned.
Look for more news once the team returns to further clear the tomb and its contents in the Spring and next season.
by J. Summers
Curator, Archaeologist
The College of Idaho, OJSmith Museum
International Assoc. of Egyptologists, KV-63 Team "
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