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TT320
Royal Cache
TT320

Shaft entrance of the royal cache.©

Location Deir el-Bahari,
Theban Necropolis
Discovery 1871 (technically),
1881 (officially)
Excavation Emil Brugsch
Status Initially intact,
closed to the public
Dynasty 21st Dynasty
Occupants 50 royal family members
Type Rock-cut tomb
Layout Shaft entrance,
3 chambers
Decoration Undecorated
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TT319
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Theban Tomb 320 (TT320) or simply the Royal Cache is a rock-cut tomb located in the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, in the Theban Necropolis, opposite the city of Thebes.

It contains an extraordinary collection of mummified remains and funeral equipment of more than 50 kings, queens, and other royal family members of the New Kingdom, as it was used as a cache for royal mummies during the Twenty-first Dynasty.[1] The eleven pharaohs found there include 1 of the 9 pharaohs of the Seventeenth Dynasty, 5 of the 15 pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty, 3 of the 8 pharaohs of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and 2 of the 10 pharaohs of the Twentieth Dynasty. The tomb was originally used as last resting place of High Priest of Amun Pinedjem II, his wife Neskhonsu, and other close family members.

The royal cache was discovered as early as 1871 by the Abu-Rassul family, who did not report the discovery to authorities to rob and sell its contents. When items started appearing on the antiquities market with their names on them began, local authorities started to investigate the items and were able to trace them back to the Abd el-Rassul family. Authorities interrogated and tortured the two brothers until one of the brothers eventually gave up the location of the tomb. Upon the tomb's official discovery by authorities in 1881, the mummy of Ramesses I had already been stolen and sold only to be rediscovered more than 120 years later.

Occupants[]

Here follows a list of all the occupants of the tomb:

Name Title(s) Dynasty
Unknown Woman B (possibly Tetisheri) King's Great Wife 17th Dynasty
Tao II Pharaoh 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Inhapi King's Wife and King's Daughter 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Henutemopet King's Daughter and King's Sister 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Henuttamehu King's Great Wife and King's Daughter 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Meritamen King's Daughter and King's Sister 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Sipair King's Son 17th Dynasty
Ahmose-Sitkamose King's Great Wife and King's Daughter 17th Dynasty
Ahmose II Pharaoh 18th Dynasty
Ahmose-Nefertari King's Great Wife and King's Daughter 18th Dynasty
Rai Royal Wet Nurse of Queen Ahmose-Nefertari 18th Dynasty
Siamun King's Son 18th Dynasty
Ahmose-Sitamun King's Daughter and King's Sister 18th Dynasty
Amenhotep I Pharaoh 18th Dynasty
Thutmose I (disputed) Pharaoh 18th Dynasty
Baket[...] (possibly Baketamen) King's Daughter 18th Dynasty
Thutmose II Pharaoh 18th Dynasty
Thutmose III Pharaoh 18th Dynasty
Unknown Man C (possibly Senmut) 18th Dynasty
Ramesses I (stolen prior to 1881) Pharaoh 19th Dynasty
Seti I Pharaoh 19th Dynasty
Ramesses II Pharaoh 19th Dynasty
Ramesses III Pharaoh 20th Dynasty
Pentawer King's Son 20th Dynasty
Ramesses IX Pharaoh 20th Dynasty
Nedjemet King's Mother 21st Dynasty
Pinedjem I High Priest of Amun 21st Dynasty
Duathathor-Henuttawy King's Daughter 21st Dynasty
Maatkare God's Wife of Amun 21st Dynasty
Masaharta High Priest of Amun 21st Dynasty
Tayuheret Chief of the Harem of Amun-Re 21st Dynasty
Pinedjem II High Priest of Amun 21st Dynasty
Isetemakhbit Chief of the Harem of Amun-Re 21st Dynasty
Neskhonsu Viceroy of Kush, Chief of the Harem of Amun-Re 21st Dynasty
Nestanebetashru Chief of the Harem of Amun-Re 21st Dynasty
Djedptahiuefankh Second Prophet of Amun 21st Dynasty
8 other unidentified mummies

See also[]

References[]

  1. Bickerstaffe 2006.

Bibliography[]

  • Bickerstaffe, D., 2006: The Royal Cache Revisited. Journal of the Ancient Chronology Forum, Vol. 10.
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