KV44

Welcome to KV44, a site that encapsulates the enduring intrigue and occasional controversy of Egyptian archaeology. Located in the main branch of the Valley of the Kings, KV44 is not the grand palace of a pharaoh, but a small,…

Standing at the entrance to KV44, we see a vertical shaft approximately 5 meters deep. This is a standard design for non-royal tombs of the 18th Dynasty. …

When Carter opened KV44, he did not find the original 18th Dynasty occupant. Instead, he found the tomb filled with mummies from the 22nd Dynasty—a period over 500 years later. …

While we are here at KV44 in Luxor, we must acknowledge the shadow cast by modern-day events associated with this number. The sources provide a gripping account of a 'Tomb 44' discovered illegally in Asyut, involving a security…

To understand the discovery of KV44, we must look at the career of Howard Carter before he became a household name. In 1901, Carter was a young, ambitious archaeologist working for the American millionaire Theodore Davis, who…

Inside the chamber of KV44, the most numerous artifacts found were 'ushabti' figures. These small, mummiform statues were placed in tombs to act as servants for the deceased in the afterlife. …

Finally, let us consider KV44 as a piece of the geological and archaeological puzzle of the Valley. The tomb is located in a part of the valley where debris from later royal tombs, such as KV4 (Ramesses XI), had accumulated over…

As we conclude our tour of KV44, we are left with a profound appreciation for the 'minor' mysteries of the Valley of the Kings. We have seen how a simple 18th-century shaft tomb became a communal sanctuary for a 22nd-century…