KV43

Last updated
KV43
Burial site of Thutmose IV
Egypt.KV43.01.jpg
Thutmose receives life from, in turn, Osiris, Anubis, and Hathor (wall decoration in KV43)
Egypt adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
KV43
Coordinates 25°44′19.2″N32°36′11.1″E / 25.738667°N 32.603083°E / 25.738667; 32.603083 Coordinates: 25°44′19.2″N32°36′11.1″E / 25.738667°N 32.603083°E / 25.738667; 32.603083
Location East Valley of the Kings
DiscoveredJanuary 1903
Excavated by Howard Carter
 Previous
KV42
Next 
KV44

Tomb KV43 is the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose IV in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. It has a dog-leg shape, typical of the layout of early 18th Dynasty tombs. KV43 was rediscovered in 1903 by Howard Carter, excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. [1]

Contents

Discovery and location

This tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in January 1903 as part of the systematic clearance of a small valley that runs west from the tomb of Ramesses III (KV3). These excavations were conducted by the Antiquities Service on behalf of Theodore Davis. An alabaster vase inscribed with the name of Thutmose IV had been encountered part way up the valley in 1902, leading Carter to suspect he was close to the tomb. By January 1903, investigations reached the base of a sheer cliff; here the bedrock rises to form a natural platform which was leveled to take the tomb cutting. On this platform, in front of the tomb entrance, two intact foundation deposits were uncovered containing alabaster vessels and model implements; one of them, an alabaster saucer, had been usurped from Hatshepsut. The discovery of these items, along with others also bearing the king's name, confirmed this was the tomb of Thutmose IV. On 18 January 1903 the entrance was cleared enough to permit an exploration; Davis had already left for Aswan, and Carter, unable to contact him, resolved to enter the tomb anyway, inviting American amateur Egyptologist Robb de Peyster Tytus along for the inspection. [1]

Layout

Tomb layout of KV43
A - Entrance
B - Corridor
C - Steps
D - Corridor
E - Well shaft
F - First pillared hall
G - Steep corridor
H - Steps
I - Antechamber
J - Burial chamber
Ja-Jd - Storerooms KV43.svg
Tomb layout of KV43
A – Entrance
B – Corridor
C – Steps
D – Corridor
E – Well shaft
F – First pillared hall
G – Steep corridor
H – Steps
I – Antechamber
J – Burial chamber
Ja–Jd – Storerooms

The tomb follows on from the design and layout of KV35 but is more precise in its cutting and alignment. The first three corridors end in a deep well with a chamber at the bottom. The axis then turns 90 degrees with the first pillared hall which leads, with stairs and a sloping corridor, to the antechamber and burial chamber. In a departure from KV35, the far end of the burial chamber is lowered to form a "crypt" for the sarcophagus. An innovative feature of this tomb is the presence of magical niches, which are seen in all later 18th Dynasty and early 19th Dynasty tombs. Four storerooms are arranged symmetrically on either side of the burial chamber. [2]

Investigation and contents

The tomb had been thoroughly robbed in antiquity, and Carter found the entrance passage partly filled with debris and broken artefacts. The blocked and painted doorway leading to the first pillared hall had been penetrated by robbers. More tangible evidence of their presence was encountered in the hall: a rope made of palm fiber was still secured around one of the columns, with its end reaching the bottom of the well shaft. Evidence of double-sealing was encountered in the antechamber; seals bearing the name of Horemheb occurred in addition to the original 'jackal over captives' necropolis seal on a partially blocked doorway. [1]

The pharaoh's red stone sarcophagus, covered in yellow-filled text and figures, was still in place in the burial chamber. Its lid was propped up beside it, supported by slabs of stone and the sculpted wooden head of a cow. The sarcophagus and lid have a rounded head end and a square foot end. Nephthys, with arms raised, is on the head end, while Isis, in the same attitude, is at the feet. The sides depict the king with Anubis, accompanied by text. The sarcophagus only contained two wooden figures [1] as the king's mummy had been found five years earlier among the royal mummies cached in KV35. [3]

The burial chamber also contained the body of a chariot, once covered in silver leaf, and decorated with scenes of the king slaying enemies, [4] an archer's gauntlet made of red and green leather, parts of a colourful tapestry-woven garment with the name of Amenhotep II, black-painted statuettes of the king, fragments of stone vases, broken fan handles, and portions of a cedar wood throne. [1]

Inspection of the side chambers yielded varying results: Chamber Ja (see plan) only contained a mass of linen wrappings from a mummy; Chamber Jb contained victual mummies of meat and birds; Chamber Jc contained broken jars and large quantities of grain; Chamber Jd contained masses of broken faience vessels and shabti, along with the unwrapped mummy of a young boy propped up against the wall. This boy is likely Prince Amenemhat, whose canopic jars were found in the tomb. Canopic jars of a Princess Tentamun were also found, indicating that she was once interred in her father's tomb. No trace of blocking or sealing was found at the entrances of these chambers so they were likely closed with wooden doors, long since looted, as evidenced by sockets, and a wooden lintel on Chamber Ja. [1]

Decoration

Only two rooms in this tomb were decorated: the upper part of the well shaft, and the antechamber. The ceilings of both areas are decorated with yellow stars on a blue background. In the case of the well, only two walls are fully decorated: they begin with a kheker-frieze and the left wall depicts Thutmose before Osiris, Anubis, and Hathor. The other wall is unfinished and depicts Anubis. In the antechamber likewise only two walls are painted and have the same repeating decorative scheme of the king depicted before various gods. [1]

Graffiti

Large hieratic graffito recording the inspection of the tomb by Maya VdR TIV6-b.jpg
Large hieratic graffito recording the inspection of the tomb by Maya

Two hieratic inscriptions are written in black on the right-hand wall of the antechamber. Both relate to an inspection of the tomb by officials in the reign of Horemheb. [1] The first, larger inscription is as follows:

Year 8, 3rd month of akhet-season, day 1, under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Djeserkheperure-setepenre, son of Re Horemheb-merenamun. His majesty life! prosperity! health! commanded that the fan-bearer on the king's right hand, the king's scribe, overseer of the treasury, overseer of works in the Place of Eternity [i.e. the royal necropolis] and leader of the festival of Amun in Karnak, Maya, son of the noble Iawy, born of the lady of the house Weret, be charged to renew the burial of King Menkheperure, true of voice, in the noble mansion upon the west of Thebes. [2]

The second inscription, to the right and slightly higher than the large one, is much shorter:

His assistant, the steward of the southern city, Djehutymose, whose mother is Iniuhe of the city [i.e. Thebes]. [2]

The larger inscription refers to Maya in the second person, and incorrectly names his mother as Weret, making it unlikely that he was the author of the inscription. The handwriting of the two graffiti are identical, and it is known that the restoration of Tutankhamun's tomb was also carried out by Djehutymose as he left a graffito there too. Therefore, Maya likely delegated the task of inspecting and restoring the tomb to his subordinate, Djehutymose. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomb of Tutankhamun</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb

The tomb of Tutankhamun, also known by its tomb number, KV62, is the burial place of Tutankhamun, a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt, in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb consists of four chambers and an entrance staircase and corridor. It is smaller and less extensively decorated than other Egyptian royal tombs of its time, and it probably originated as a tomb for a non-royal individual that was adapted for Tutankhamun's use after his premature death. Like other pharaohs, Tutankhamun was buried with a wide variety of funerary objects and personal possessions, such as coffins, furniture, clothing and jewellery, though in the unusually limited space these goods had to be densely packed. Robbers entered the tomb twice in the years immediately following the burial, but Tutankhamun's mummy and most of the burial goods remained intact. The tomb's low position, dug into the floor of the valley, allowed its entrance to be hidden by debris deposited by flooding and tomb construction. Thus, unlike other tombs in the valley, it was not stripped of its valuables during the Third Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horemheb</span> Final Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt

Horemheb, also spelled Horemhab or Haremhab was the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled for at least 14 years between 1319 BC and 1292 BC. He had no relation to the preceding royal family other than by marriage to Mutnedjmet, who is thought to have been the daughter of his predecessor Ay; he is believed to have been of common birth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thutmose I</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Thutmose I was the third pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. He received the throne after the death of the previous king, Amenhotep I. During his reign, he campaigned deep into the Levant and Nubia, pushing the borders of Egypt farther than ever before in each region. He also built many temples in Egypt, and a tomb for himself in the Valley of the Kings; he is the first king confirmed to have done this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya (treasurer)</span>

Maya was an important figure during the reign of Pharaohs Tutankhamun, Ay and Horemheb of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Maya's titles include: fan bearer on the King's right hand, overseer of the treasury, chief of the works in the necropolis, and leader of the festival of Amun in Karnak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WV23</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb in the Valley of the Kings

Tomb WV23, also known as KV23, is located in the Western Valley of the Kings near modern-day Luxor, and was the final resting place of Pharaoh Ay of the Eighteenth Dynasty. The tomb was discovered by Giovanni Battista Belzoni in the winter of 1816. Its structure is similar to that of the tomb of Akhenaten, with a straight descending corridor, leading to a "well chamber" that has no shaft. This leads to the burial chamber, which now contains the reconstructed sarcophagus, which had been smashed in antiquity. The tomb had also been anciently desecrated, with many instances of Ay's image or name erased from the wall paintings. Its decoration is similar in content and colour to that of Tutankhamun (KV62), with a few differences. On the eastern wall there is a depiction of a fishing and fowling scene, which is not shown elsewhere in other royal tombs, normally appearing in burials of nobility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WV22</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb in the Valley of the Kings

Tomb WV22, also known as KV22, was the burial place of the Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III. Located in the Western arm of the Valley of the Kings, the tomb is unique in that it has two subsidiary burial chambers for the pharaoh's wives Tiye and Sitamen. It was officially discovered by Prosper Jollois and Édouard de Villiers du Terrage, engineers with Napoleon's expedition to Egypt in August 1799, but had probably been open for some time. The tomb was first excavated by Theodore M. Davis, the details of which are lost. The first documented clearance was carried out by Howard Carter in 1915. Since 1989, a Japanese team from Waseda University led by Sakuji Yoshimura and Jiro Kondo has excavated and conserved the tomb. The sarcophagus is missing from the tomb. The tomb's layout and decoration follow the tombs of the king's predecessors, Amenhotep II (KV35) and Thutmose IV (KV43); however, the decoration is much finer in quality. Several images of the pharaoh's head have been cut out and can be seen today in the Louvre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV42</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb of Sennefer of Thebes

Tomb KV42 is an ancient Egyptian tomb located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was constructed for Hatshepsut-Meryetre, the wife of Thutmose III, but she was not buried in the tomb. It was reused by Sennefer, a mayor of Thebes during the reign of Amenhotep II, and by several members of his family. The tomb has a cartouche-shaped burial chamber, like other early Eighteenth Dynasty tombs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV35</span> Tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep II in Luxor, Egypt

Tomb KV35 is the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep II located in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. Later, it was used as a cache for other royal mummies. It was discovered by Victor Loret in March 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV20</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb in the Valley of the Kings

KV20 is a tomb in the Valley of the Kings (Egypt). It was probably the first royal tomb to be constructed in the valley. KV20 was the original burial place of Thutmose I and later was adapted by his daughter Hatshepsut to accommodate her and her father. The tomb was known to the Napoleonic expedition in 1799 and had been visited by several explorers between 1799 and 1903. A full clearance of the tomb was undertaken by Howard Carter in 1903–1904. KV20 is distinguishable from other tombs in the valley, both in its general layout and because of the atypical clockwise curvature of its corridors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV34</span> Tomb of ancient Egyptian Pharoah Thutmose III

Tomb KV34 in the Valley of the Kings was the tomb of 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomb of Yuya and Thuya</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb of Yuya and Thuya

Tomb KV46 in the Valley of the Kings is the tomb of the ancient Egyptian noble Yuya and his wife Thuya, the parents of Queen Tiye and Anen. It was discovered in February 1905 by Chief Inspector of Antiquities James E. Quibell, excavating under the sponsorship of American millionaire Theodore M. Davis. Despite robberies in antiquity, the undecorated tomb preserved a great deal of its original contents including chests, beds, chairs, a chariot, and numerous storage jars. Additionally, the riffled but undamaged mummies of Yuya and Thuya were found within their disturbed coffin sets. Prior to the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, this was considered to be one of the greatest discoveries in Egyptology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV2</span> Tomb of Pharoah Ramesses IV

Tomb KV2, found in the Valley of the Kings, is the tomb of Ramesses IV, and is located low in the main valley, between KV7 and KV1. It has been open since antiquity and contains a large amount of graffiti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV1</span> Tomb of Ramesses VII

Tomb KV1, located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, was used for the burial of Pharaoh Ramesses VII of the Twentieth Dynasty. Although it has been open since antiquity, it was only properly investigated and cleared by Edwin Brock in 1984 and 1985. The single corridor tomb is located in Luxor's West Bank, and is small in comparison to other tombs of the Twentieth Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV4</span> Ancient Egyptian Tomb in the Valley of the Kings

KV4 is a tomb in the Valley of the Kings (Egypt). The tomb was initiated for the burial of Ramesses XI but it is likely that its construction was abandoned and it was not used for Ramesses's interment. It also seems likely that Pinedjem I intended to usurp this tomb for his own burial, but that he too abandoned the plan. KV4 is notable for being the last royal tomb that was quarried in the Valley and because it has been interpreted as being a workshop used during the official dismantling of the royal necropolis in the early Third Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV47</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb of Pharaoh Siptah

Tomb KV47, located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, was used for the burial of Pharaoh Siptah of the Nineteenth Dynasty. It was discovered on December 18, 1905 by Edward R. Ayrton, excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis; Siptah's mummy had been found earlier, cached in KV35. It was the last of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasty kings tombs to be uncovered in the Valley. Ayrton stopped his excavation in 1907 due to safety fears, and Harry Burton returned in 1912 to dig further. The cutting of a side passage was halted after the workmen cut into Side Chamber Ja of the tomb of Tia'a (KV32). The tomb was unfinished at the time of its use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV57</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb of Pharoah Horemheb

Tomb KV57 is the royal tomb of Horemheb, the last pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty and is located in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV58</span> Ancient Egyptian "Chariot Tomb"

Tomb KV58, known as the "Chariot Tomb", is located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was discovered in January 1909 by Harold Jones, excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. The circumstances of the discovery and specifics of the excavation were only given a passing mention in Davis' account, who attributes the discovery to Edward Ayrton in 1907 instead. The tomb consists of a shaft leading to a single chamber and contained only embossed gold foil, furniture knobs, and a single ushabti. The contents likely originated from the Eighteenth Dynasty tomb of Ay in WV23. Davis considered this tomb to be the burial place of the then little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley of the Kings</span> Necropolis in ancient Egypt

The Valley of the Kings, also known as 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, rock-cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom.

The majority of the 65 numbered tombs in the Valley of the Kings can be considered minor tombs, either because at present they have yielded little information or because the results of their investigation was only poorly recorded by their explorers, while some have received very little attention or were only cursorily noted. Most of these tombs are small, often only consisting of a single burial chamber accessed by means of a shaft or a staircase with a corridor or a series of corridors leading to the chamber, but some are larger, multiple chambered tombs. These minor tombs served various purposes, some were intended for burials of lesser royalty or for private burials, some contained animal burials and others apparently never received a primary burial. In many cases these tombs also served secondary functions and later intrusive material has been found related to these secondary activities. While some of these tombs have been open since antiquity, the majority were discovered in the 19th and early 20th centuries during the height of exploration in the valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anubis Shrine</span> Part of the burial equipment of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun

The Anubis Shrine was part of the burial equipment of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh Tutankhamun, whose tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered almost intact in 1922 by Egyptologists led by Howard Carter. Today the object, with the find number 261, is on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, with the inventory number JE 61444.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Carter, Howard; Newberry, Percy E. (1904). The Tomb of Thoutmôsis IV. Westminster: Constable. pp. VII–XII. Repr. London: Duckworth, 2002. ISBN   0-7156-3120-9.
  2. 1 2 3 Reeves, Nicholas; Wilkinson, Richard H. (1996). The Complete Valley of the Kings : Tombs and Treasures of Egypt's Greatest Pharaohs (2010 ed.). London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 105–108. ISBN   978-0-500-28403-2.
  3. Loret, Victor (1898). "Le tombeau d'Aménophis II et la cachette royale de Biban el-Molouk". Bulletin de l'Institut Égyptien. 9: 98–112. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. Calvert, Amy M. (1 December 2013). "Vehicles of the Sun: The Royal Chariot in the New Kingdom". In Veldmeijer, André J.; Ikram, Salima (eds.). Chasing Chariots: Proceedings of the first international chariot conference (Cairo 2012). Leiden: Sidestone Press. pp. 45–71. ISBN   978-90-8890-209-3.
  5. Cross, Stephen (2008). "The Restoration Graffiti in the Tomb of Tuthmosis IV, KV43" (PDF). The Heritage of Egypt. 1 (3): 9–11. Retrieved 5 August 2020.