KV63
KV63 is a chamber in Egypt's Valley of the Kings pharaonic necropolis. Initially believed to be a royal tomb, it is now believed to have been a storage chamber for the mummification process. It was found in 2005 by a team of archaeologists led by Otto Schaden.
| KV63 | |
|---|---|
| Burial site of Unknown people | |
The area immediately above the chamber in March 2005, one to two months after KV63's initial discovery. | |
KV63 | |
| Coordinates | 25°44′24″N 32°36′05″E |
| Location | East Valley of the Kings |
| Discovered | 10 March 2005 (shaft) 8 February 2006 (announced) |
| Excavated by | Otto Schaden |
| Decoration | Undecorated |
| Layout | Single L-shaped chamber |
The chamber contained seven wooden coffins and many large storage jars. All coffins have now been opened, and were found to contain only mummification materials, with the jars also containing mummification supplies including salts, linens, and broken pottery.
Some clay seal impressions contain text, such as the partial word 'pa-aten,' part of the birth name of Tutankhamun's wife, Ankhesenamun. This inscription, the architectural style of the chamber, and the form of the coffins and jars all point to an Eighteenth Dynasty date, roughly contemporary with Tutankhamun, whose tomb is nearby.
KV63 was revisited by Schaden's team again in 2010, along with a TV team. Another 16 storage jars were explored, and a wooden bed with lions' heads, along with pieces of wine jars, were discovered. The team arrived at the theory that the chamber was probably used by Tutankhamun's family embalmers, about 1337–1334 BC.