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Valley of the Kings - KV55
'Amarna Cache' - XVIII Dynasty

Tomb dated to Akhenaten’s time and known now as Amarna cache was discovered in January 1907 by Edward R. Ayrton and Theodore M. Davies. Remainders of gilded wooden chapel belonging to queen Tiji, the wife of Amenhotep III, were found inside and thus the tomb used to be assigned to her. A coffin, originally made for Semenkhkare's consort - Merytaten,  beautifully manufactured and incrusted with gold and precious stones, included a mummy. Forehead of the anthropoid coffin was adorned with gold ureus – symbol of royalty. The name of king was removed in ancient time, probably when it moved from Akhetaten to Valley of the Kings. In the tomb were found also four canopic jars with carved female heads on their covers, various small artifacts mainly with names of Amenhotep III and Tiy and finally last but not least - fragments of gilded chest-like chapel belonging to Tiy and resembling those discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb. Unfortunately all its elements underwent complete destruction. The coffin and mummy inside of it were severely decayed due to ground water getting to the tomb. First unfolding of the mummy (Joseph L. Smith) caused its bad damage and turned part of it into ash. Only bones and skull remained in good condition.
Very close similarity of the skull with that of Tutankhamun, and the same blood group (A2MN), indicates that they were close relatives. The project’s CT scan of this mummy provides an age at death of 45-55. Most earlier forensic studies had put forth an age of 21-23 or later - 25-28 and identified with Semenkhkare. DNA tests showed he was the son of Amenhotep III and queen Tiji, also father of Tutankhamun. Mummy was moved from Akhetaten to Valley of the Kings.
 




 

  1 - blade of a small copper graving tool
2 - panel and door from shrine
3 - lid of large alabaster vase
4 - second door from shrine
5 - "magic brick"
6 - panel from shrine with erased figure of Akhenaten
7 - scattered blue beads
8 - box
9 - "magic brick"
10 - roof (?) of shrine
11 - panel from shrine
12 - side-panel (?) from shrine
13 - box
14 - broken remains of wooden box containing 156 objects, including ointment vases, model papyrus rolls, wandts, two figures of Bes, small figure of girl carrying a vase, Wadżet-eyes and models of fruit
15 - lion heads from bier, seal fragments, ureus of late names of the Aten
16 - coffin and mummy
17 - "magic brick" ; seal fragments
18 - statue plinth (?)
19 - canopic jars
20 - "magic brick"
21 - box
22 - remains of a small containing amulets and other material "for the ceremony of opening the mouth" including the handle of a chisel, four alabaster blocks, flint knives and two red pebbles
23 - box
24 - alabaster "vase stand" ; fragment of furniture with the cartouches of Tiji and Amenhotep III

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