List of burials in the Valley of the Kings explained

The following is a list of burials in the Valley of the Kings, in Thebes (modern Luxor, Egypt) and nearby areas.

The numbering system was established by John Gardner Wilkinson in 1821. Wilkinson numbered the 21 tombs known to him (some of which had been open since antiquity) according to their location, starting at the entrance to the valley and then moving south and west. Tombs that have been discovered since then have been allocated a sequential KV number (those in the Western Valley are known by the WV equivalent) in the order of their discovery.[1]

Since the mid 20th century, Egyptologists have used the acronym "KV" (standing for Kings' Valley) to designate tombs located in the Valley of the Kings. Additionally, the acronym "WV" is also used to designate tombs located in the West Valley (of the Kings).

Map

East Valley

Most of the open tombs in the Valley of the Kings are located in the East Valley, and this is where most tourists can be found.

Number width=9%Time PeriodDiscoveredIntended forShort summary
KV1 20th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses VII[2]
KV2 20th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses IV[3]
KV320th Dynasty0001 AntiquityUnidentified
KV4 20th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses XI[4]
KV519th Dynasty1825 1825Ramesses II (sons)[5] With 120 known rooms and excavation work still underway, it is probably the largest tomb in the valley.
KV620th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses IX
KV719th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses II[6]
KV819th Dynasty0001 AntiquityMerenptah
KV920th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses VAlso known as the Tomb of Memnon or La Tombe de la Métempsychose.
KV1020th Dynasty0001 AntiquityAmenmesseWhile intended for him, there is no direct evidence that Amenmesse was ever buried at this tomb.
KV1120th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses IIIAlso referred to as Bruce's Tomb, The Harper's Tomb.
KV1218th Dynasty0001 AntiquityVariousThis was possibly used as a family tomb.
KV1319th Dynasty0001 AntiquityBay
KV1419th Dynasty0001 AntiquityTwosret
KV1519th Dynasty0001 AntiquitySeti II
KV16 19th Dynasty1817 1817Ramesses I
KV17 19th Dynasty1817 1817Seti I[7] Also known as Belzoni's tomb, the tomb of Apis, or the tomb of Psammis, son of Necho.
KV1820th Dynasty0001 AntiquityRamesses XWhile this tomb was intended for the burial of Pharaoh Ramesses X, it was apparently abandoned while still incomplete.
KV19 20th Dynasty1817 1817Ramesses VIII
KV20[8] 18th Dynasty1799 1799Thutmose I & HatshepsutThis tomb has been closed since 1994 due to flooding.
KV2118th Dynasty1817 1817Queen ...The original owner of this tomb is unknown, tombs KV22 to KV25 are part of the west valley mentioned below.
KV2618th Dynasty1835 c.1835The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV2718th Dynasty1832 c.1832The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV2818th Dynasty1832 c.1832The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV291832 c.1832The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV30 18th Dynasty1817 1817Known as Lord Belmore's tomb.
KV3118th Dynasty1817 1817Excavations which mapped KV31 in 2010 & 2011 found the remains of five mummified elite individuals dating to the Eighteenth Dynasty.
KV3218th Dynasty1898 1898Tia'a
KV3318th Dynasty1898 1898The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV3418th Dynasty1898 1898Thutmose III
KV3518th Dynasty1898 1898Amenhotep IIDuring the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt over a dozen mummies were relocated here. Many of these included royalty as indicated by inscriptions on their burial wrappings. This tomb has been closed since 1994 due to flooding.
KV3618th Dynasty1899 1899MaiherpriA noble from the time of Hatshepsut.
KV3718th Dynasty1899 1899The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV3818th Dynasty1899 1899Thutmose IKV38 was used for the reburial of Pharaoh Thutmose I of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Thutmose I was originally entombed in KV20 before being moved here by Thutmose III.
KV3918th Dynasty1899 1899Amenhotep I
KV4018th Dynasty1899 1899Various royal individualsBurials date to the time of Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III, with members of their family being interred in it. Later intrusive burials from the 22nd Dynasty are also present.[9]
KV4118th Dynasty1899 1899Not usedThis has been described as a shaft rather than a tomb possibly belonging to Queen Tetisheri.
KV42 18th Dynasty 1900 1900Merytre-HatshepsutThis tomb was originally constructed for Hatshepsut-Meryetre, the wife of Thutmose III. She was never buried here though, and the tomb was later reused by Sennefer (mayor of Thebes during the reign of Amenhotep II).
KV4318th Dynasty1903 1903Thutmose IV
KV4418th Dynasty1901 1901The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV45 18th Dynasty1902 1902UserhetTomb of a noble
KV4618th Dynasty1905 1905Yuya & TjuyuThe parents of Queen Tiy. Until the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, this was the best preserved tomb to be found in the Valley.
KV4719th Dynasty1905 1905Siptah
KV4818th Dynasty1906 1906Amenemipet called Pairy
KV49 18th Dynasty1906 1906StorageTomb was possibly a store room.
KV5018th Dynasty1906 1906Animals (pets)Tombs contain animal burials, which were possibly the pets of Amenhotep II, whose tomb is nearby.
KV5118th Dynasty1906 1906Animals (pets)Tombs contain animal burials, which were possibly the pets of Amenhotep II, whose tomb is nearby.
KV52 18th Dynasty1906 1906Animals (pets)Tombs contain animal burials, which were possibly the pets of Amenhotep II, whose tomb is nearby.
KV5318th Dynasty1906 1906The original owner of this tomb is unknown.
KV54 18th Dynasty1907 1907Embalming cacheThis was probably an embalming cache for the tomb of Tutankhamun.
KV55 18th Dynasty1907 1907Smenkhkare &<br>AkhenatenThis tomb might be another mummy cache, and once possibly contained the burials of several Amarna Period royals – Tiy and Smenkhkare/Akhenaten.
KV56 19th Dynasty1908 1908Known as the Gold Tomb, the original owner of this tomb is unknown. Items with names of Ramesses II, Seti II and Twosret were found.
KV5718th Dynasty1908 1908Horemheb[10] This tomb has been closed since 1994 due to flooding.
KV5818th Dynasty1909 1909Known as Chariot Tomb, the original owner of this tomb remains unknown. Gold foil contains names of Tutankhamun and Ay
KV591885 c.1885Not usedThis tomb appears to have been unused
KV6018th Dynasty1903 1903Sitre InKV60 contains the mummy of Sitre In, who was a royal nurse of Hatshepsut. Another mummy was found that could be Hatshepsut herself, this is yet to be proven by DNA.
KV61 1910 1910Not usedThis tomb appears to have been unused.
KV6218th Dynasty1922 1922TutankhamunPerhaps the most famous discovery of modern Western archaeology was made here by Howard Carter on November 4, 1922, with clearance and conservation work continuing until 1932. It was the first royal tomb to be discovered still largely intact (although tomb robbers had entered it), and was for many years the last major discovery in the valley.
KV6318th Dynasty2005 2005StorageInitially believed to be a royal tomb, it is now believed to have been a storage chamber for the mummification process.[11]
KV6418th Dynasty2011 2011Nehmes-BastetThe tomb of a priestess, discovered in January 2011.[12] The tomb was excavated in 2012 and was shown to have been used in the 18th as well as in the 22nd dynasty. The Lady Nehmesbastet lived during the 22nd dynasty.[13]

West Valley

The numbering the West Valley follows in sequence to that of the East Valley, and there are only five known burials/pits in the valley.

Number width=9%Time PeriodDiscoveredwidth=9%Intended for Comments
WV22 18th Dynasty 1799Amenhotep III The badly damaged mummy of Amenhotep III was later moved from the tomb, and restored in Year 13 of Smendes, and was ultimately discovered cached in KV35. This tomb was re-excavated in the 1990s, but is not open to the public.
WV23 18th Dynasty 1816AyThe contents of KV58 likely originated from WV23, as Ay's name occurs more frequently than that of Tutankhamun. "WV23" is the only tomb open to the public in the West Valley.
WV24 18th Dynasty c.1832Unknown "WV24" is an unfinished tomb that may have been intended for a high ranking noble. It could have also been built as a storage chamber for overflow from the royal burial as seen with WV23 and WVA.
WV25 18th Dynasty 1817Unknown This tomb may have been started as the Theban burial of Akhenaten, but it was never finished.
KV6518th Dynasty 2018UnknownAn unfinished tomb entrance, discovered in 2018[14]
WVA 18th Dynasty1845StorageThis was a storage chamber for Amenhotep III's tomb which is located nearby.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Theban Mapping Project, tomb numbering systems in the valley . 2005-12-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070212090402/http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/articles/article_4.3.html . 2007-02-12 . dead .
  2. Web site: KV 1 (Rameses VII) – Theban Mapping Project. www.thebanmappingproject.com. 2018-02-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20151015033635/http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/sites/browse_tomb_815.html. 2015-10-15. dead.
  3. Web site: KV 2 (Rameses IV) . www.thebanmappingproject.com . 2018-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090506014235/http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/sites/browse_tomb_816.html . 2009-05-06 . dead .
  4. Web site: KV 4 (Rameses XI) - Theban Mapping Project. www.thebanmappingproject.com. 2018-02-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20090410042848/http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/sites/browse_tomb_818.html. 2009-04-10. dead.
  5. Web site: Audio - Atlas of the Valley of the Kings - Theban Mapping Project . 2011-10-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120402133504/http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/atlas/index_kv.asp?tombID=819 . 2012-04-02 . dead .
  6. Web site: The Tomb of Ramesses II and Remains of His Funerary Treasure . Christian Leblanc . 2006-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060919041416/http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Gerard_Flament/ramstomb.htm . 2006-09-19 . dead .
  7. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20230313173005/https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en/monuments/tomb-of-sety-i-kv17. March 13, 2023. Tomb of Sety I (KV17). Ministry of Antiquities. May 9, 2023.
  8. Web site: KV22 Thutmes I and Hatshepsut. Theban Mapping Project. June 18, 2024.
  9. Susanne Bickel, Princesses, Robbers and Priests – The unknown side of the Kings' Valley, Presentation at a conference at the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, October 14, 2017, Online; KV 64 discussed at 40:00 onwards
  10. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20221205042146/https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en/monuments/tomb-of-tutankhamun. December 5, 2022. Tomb of Tutankhamun. Ministry of Antiquities. May 9, 2023.
  11. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20060529/KV63_arc.html "Pharaonic find was mummification room, not tomb"
  12. Bickel . Suzanne . Paulin-Grothe . Elina . Alsheimer . Tanja . Preliminary Report on the Work Carried out During the Season 2011 . University of Basel Kings' Valley Project . 2011 . 2 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128053035/https://aegyptologie.philhist.unibas.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/aegyptologie/Forschung/Projekte/King_s_Valley/Reports/Report_2011.pdf. 28 November 2021 . dead.
  13. Susanne Bickel, Princesses, Robbers and Priests – The unknown side of the Kings' Valley, Presentation at a conference at the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, October 14, 2017
  14. News: El-Aref . Nevine . Zahi Hawass announces two archaeological discoveries by his team in Luxor - Ancient Egypt - Antiquities . 3 April 2023 . Ahram Online . 10 October 2019.