the burial of nefertiti?

51 Pages·2015·12.7 MB·English

AMARNA ROYAL TOMBS PROJECT Ÿ VALLEY OF THE KINGS
Occasional Paper No. 1

THE BURIAL OF
NEFERTITI?

By

Nicholas Reeves, FSA

THE BURIAL OF
NEFERTITI?

ABSTRACT

Recently published, high-resolution scans of the walls of room J (the Burial Chamber) of Valley of the Kings tomb KV
62 (Tutankhamun) reveal, beneath the plastered surfaces of the painted scenes, distinct linear traces. These are here
mapped, discussed, and tentatively identified as the “ghosts” of two hitherto unrecognized doorways. It is argued that
these doorways give access to: (1) a still unexplored storage chamber on the west of room J, seemingly contemporary
with the stocking of Tutankhamun’s burial; and (2) a pre-Tutankhamun continuation of KV 62 towards the north,
containing the undisturbed burial of the tomb’s original owner – Nefertiti.

“Now, about the tomb of Nefertiti,” [Omm Sety] continued,
sounding a bit hesitant. “I did once ask His Majesty where it was,
and he told me. He said, ‘Why do you want to know?’ I said I
would like to have it excavated, and he said, ‘No, you must not.
We don’t want anything more of this family known.’ But he did
tell me where it was, and I can tell you this much. It’s in the Valley
of the Kings, and it’s quite near to the Tutankhamun tomb. But it’s
in a place where nobody would ever think of looking for it,” she
laughed. “And apparently it is still intact …”

– el Zeini and Dees 2007, 265-266
Frontispiece. The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV 62): (x) proposed new chamber behind the decorated west wall of the
Burial Chamber (J); (y) potential continuation of the tomb beyond the Burial Chamber’s decorated north wall
(Weeks 2003, sheet 69/70 / http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/, with additions,
copyright © Theban Mapping Project)
AMARNA ROYAL TOMBS PROJECT Ÿ VALLEY OF THE KINGS
Occasional Paper No. 1

THE BURIAL OF
NEFERTITI?

By

Nicholas Reeves, FSA

2015
A Publication of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project

Copyright © Nicholas Reeves 2015
University of Arizona Egyptian Expedition
1215 E. Lowell Street
Tucson, AZ 85721-0045

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