Tomb KV50 is located in the

Valley of the Kings The Valley of the Kings ( ar, وادي الملوك ; Late Coptic: ), also known as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings ( ar, وادي أبوا الملوك ), is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th ...

, in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

. It was discovered in 1906 by Edward R. Ayrton excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. Together with

KV51 Tomb KV51 is located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt. It was discovered in 1906 by Edward R. Ayrton excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. The tomb, together with KV50 and KV52 forms a group of three known as the "Animal Tombs". It cont ...

and

KV52 Tomb KV52 is located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt. It was discovered in 1906 by Edward R. Ayrton excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. Together with KV50 and KV51 it forms a group known as the "Animal Tombs", it contained a mummif ...

, it forms a group known as the "Animal Tombs". It contained the burial of a dog mummy and a mummified monkey and is probably associated with the nearby tomb of

Amenhotep II Amenhotep II (sometimes called ''Amenophis II'' and meaning '' Amun is Satisfied'') was the seventh pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Amenhotep inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few milit ...

( KV35).

Location, discovery, and contents

The tomb is located on the same rocky promontory as

KV49 Tomb KV49, located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt is a typical Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, Eighteenth Dynasty corridor tomb. It was the first of a series of tombs discovered in 1906 by Edward R. Ayrton in the course of his excavations on b ...

, in the side valley that leads towards KV35. It is at a slightly higher level than KV49, and is located to the west of that tomb. KV50 was the first of a cluster of three tombs discovered by Edward R. Ayrton in his clearance of this part of the valley on behalf of Theodore Davis. The entrance was buried under of debris. The tomb consists of a shaft, deep and square, which opens to the south onto a chamber long and wide. This was found partly filled with debris from the shaft. Ayrton noted that the tomb had been thoroughly robbed in antiquity, though from the presence of wooden fragments it likely once held a coffin of some kind. No trace was found of the tomb owner's name. The only occupants of the chamber were two animal mummies, posed against one wall.

Propped up against the eastern wall was a large dog, quite perfect although stripped of its wrappings, and a monkey still partially wrapped.

The tomb, along with KV51 and KV52, seem to have formed a burial ground for royal pets.

Recent excavations

This area was excavated in winter 2009–2010 by a team led by

Zahi Hawass Zahi Abass Hawass ( ar, زاهي حواس; born May 28, 1947) is an Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, serving twice. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Wes ...

and Ahmed el-Leithy in an effort to relocate KV50, KV51, KV52 and KV53. This excavation revealed Eighteenth Dynasty pottery, tools, and

ostraca An ostracon ( Greek: ''ostrakon'', plural ''ostraka'') is a piece of pottery, usually broken off from a vase or other earthenware vessel. In an archaeological or epigraphical context, ''ostraca'' refer to sherds or even small pieces of ...

including figured examples which included a sketch of a seated queen presenting an offering, depictions of sexual scenes with women and animals, and cartouches of

Ramesses II Ramesses II ( egy, rꜥ-ms-sw ''Rīʿa-məsī-sū'', , meaning "Ra is the one who bore him"; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded as ...

References

External links

Theban Mapping Project:KV50
– Includes detailed maps of most of the tombs. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kv50 1906 archaeological discoveries Valley of the Kings