KV21

Welcome to the entrance of KV21. Unlike the sprawling, heavily visited tombs of the great pharaohs, this modest, undecorated shaft tomb is closed to the public and shrouded in intense scientific and historical controversy. …

Let us consider the physical structure of KV21. The architectural footprint is classic, mid-to-late Eighteenth Dynasty. …

To understand the current state of the mummies within KV21, we must address the severe trauma this tomb suffered in antiquity. When Belzoni entered in eighteen seventeen, he noted that the mummies had been dragged from their…

Let us focus on the first of the two bodies, scientifically designated as Mummy KV21A. This mummy is missing its skull, a victim of the violent ancient robbery, but the remaining post-cranial skeleton provides vital clues. …

Resting beside KV21A is the second mummy, designated KV21B. The condition of this mummy is slightly better; the skull is present, though severely damaged, and it retains a mass of long, wavy hair. …

The investigations into KV21 highlight both the incredible power and the frustrating limitations of modern archaeological science. The application of DNA testing to ancient Egyptian mummies was a revolutionary step. …

Regardless of whether we can definitively engrave the names Ankhesenamun and Nefertiti on a plaque outside this tomb, the very presence of these two royal women in KV21 speaks volumes about the end of the Amarna period. The women…

As we conclude our examination of KV21, we leave the silent queens to the dark. This tomb, devoid of the breathtaking art that defines the rest of the Valley of the Kings, remains one of its most compelling locations. …