Egyptian Dreams

[Rozette]

Great pictures Anneke,

Interview with Ted Brock Co-director of the team that found the new tomb in the Valley of the Kings


American archaeologists discovered the entrance to the tomb by accident while working on a neighbouring tomb, said Edwin Brock, co-director of the University of Memphis team.

“It was a wonderful thing. It was just so amazing to find an intact tomb here after all the work that’s been done before. This was totally unexpected,” Brock said.

The new tomb did not appear to be that of a pharaoh, he said. “I don’t think it’s a royal tomb, maybe members of the court.”
Contemporaries of Tutankahmun are possible – or of Amunhotep III or even Horemheb,” he said. Based on their style, the jars appear to date to the late 18th Dynasty.


http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0700world/tm_objectid=16687869&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=new-eqyptian-tomb--probably-of-pharaoh-s-court--name_page.html

[ELISE]

Just out of interest, the BBC website are now referring to this find as a pharonic tomb. I'm not sure if this is an error on their part, or if there is now some (as yet undisclosed) evidence of a royal occupant.

Could they be misunderstanding the 'pharonic seals' bit? I took that to mean the jars were sealed with the name of the pharaoh who happened to be ruling at that time - not that there was a royal occupant.

[Rozette]

The press conference on the tomb discovery is going to be broadcast on the BBC at 1500 GMT.
On the website that I provided is a link to the live video.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4700032.stm

[ELISE]

FYI....The webcast has now been put back to 16:10 GMT

[ELISE]

Did anyone manage to catch this webcast? - I'm dying to know what happened!

[Rozette]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4700000/newsid_4701900/bb_wm_4701970.stm


This is a link of a webcast that I found about the tomb.

[ELISE]

Thanks so much Rozette. Great close-ups!

I agree with whoever mentioned the rear coffin possibly appearing to have an arm across the chest.......now if it did, who might that be!

[RobertStJames]

In one article they talked about finding Thutmose III's seals, but not actually in the tomb. Seemed to indicate they were found in the rubble above it. I can't find the article now and I possibly misread it.

Here's a great pic from News Telegraph:



The workmanship looks first rate, and the face certainly appears female.

"It could be the gardener," joked Otto Schaden, the head of the US team, from the University of Memphis.

Well, if it is, the gardener must have been a fairly successful one as that coffin doesn't look cheap.

They've said "late 18th Dynasty" so they have to have found someone's seal. Tut's? Perhaps this is the overflow from KV 55 and represents more of what was removed from Amarna.

RstJ

RstJ

[anneke]

I had seen that picture on the web as well. Struck me as looking rather "amarna-esque".
Could be wishful thinking on my part

There's also mention of the tomb on a newsblog by Jane Akshar
http://touregypt.net/teblog/luxornews/

She mentions actually seeing the tomb.

I found the following interesting:

[RobertStJames]

Zahi was in fine form on the webcast, totally excited, as well he should be. If one of those coffins contains Nefertiti, it's going to be the find of the century, especially if she has one of those exquisite gold death masks.

The webcast clearly showed one of the coffins having at least one crossed arm. Two of Tut's sisters were Queens, so it could be one of them. Or perhaps Tiye, maybe Kiya. Lots of missing persons from that era, and maybe just now we're beginning to find out why they were missing--they'd been moved from Amarna to cachettes in KV.

But it's still speculation. Do Schaden and Hawass already know and they're just playing possum until they can make a huge announcement? Wouldn't there be hiero on the outside of those coffins that would immediately identify the occupants?

[anneke]

One would think they should be able to get some info from the tomb.
Heck, I would mount a video camera on the end of a stick and do a survey of the coffins by angling the camera over the objects

There must have also been seals on the door. If the tomb was never disturbed there must have been necropolis seals etc.

It may be that they are "playing possum" It's a good way to get a lot of free publicity and PR. TV special anyone?

The identity of the person in the coffin with the crossed arm(s) will be interesting to find out. There are quite a few royals from the period missing. There are no women at all from the time period I think (unless we believe that some of the mummies form the side chamber of KV 35 belong to this general period).

Finding Merytaten would be really neat. Her age at death will tell us more about the ages of some of the other individuals. Nefertiti would be really funny considering the attempts in the last couple of years to identify her with mummies from KV 35.

They're having quite a year in egypt with all the finds this year. First the beautiful Queen's statue, then more statues from Amenhotep III's temple, then this spectacular find and another tomb in the hills of Thebes.
I wonder what else is in store?
_________________
Math and Art: http://mathematicsaroundus.blogspot.com/

[kennethhirst]

cant believe it what if it turns out to be ankhasanamun got to take the next flight out are you coming kmt-sesh
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NTR NFR NB T3WY S-N-WSRT IR.N=IR.N=f N IT=f KNNTH M3`-HRW

[ELISE]

I agree that the face on the closest coffin appears quite Armana-esque.

The features remind me a little of the golden tutulery divinities guarding Tutankhamen's canopic shrine.

And yes, I know identifications using physiogomy rather than inscriptional evidence are generally regarded as pretty unscientific but I can't help myself

[Sesen]

Speaking of Amarna-esque people there was a discussion a few days ago on Glyphdoctors forum, News section (not sure if I'm allowed to post links to another forum, but google will find it) on Dr Hawass making an announcement regarding finds relating to Nefertiti. It seems either Hawass was jumping the gun on this new tomb (KV 63) find or that the people on the tour misheard what was said. Either way it was interesting.

I find it quite surprising really that in articles is says that it had been thought that the Kings Valley had been exausted of tombs. How could that possibly be known in what is quite a large area with much of it being difficult to access? I'm sure there is still more to be found - hoping so anyway.
_________________
Priestess of Hathor, Superior of the Harem of Min, dedicated to Maat, beloved of Seshat and Nekhbet.
I enter as a hawk, I come out as a benu bird in the morning.-- Pert em-Hru, ch. 13

[Meritaten]

Caught this on the news last night while I was staying with a friend. Hit the roof promptly. Had a bellow at the screen 'dating! what date!' Friend - who had caught an earlier broadcast - said casually 'Oh, late 18th Dynasty, I think they said.' Logged on here as I thought it might be a hot topic of discussion.

Now I know it's not going to be Meritaten or Ankhesenamen - I'm telling myself this repeatedly, because that would just be too good to be true - but even just a little shred more information to shed light on the final years of the 18th Dynasty and the post-Akhenaten succession would be enough to turn cartwheels over...