KV42

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KV42
tomb of Merit-Re-Hatshepsut

place Valley of the Kings
Discovery date 1899
excavation including Victor Loret , Howard Carter
Previous
KV41
The following
KV43
Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings
(Eastern Valley)

KV42 is a burial complex of the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom in the Valley of the Kings . It is located in the southern branch of the southeastern dry valley . The tomb was built for the burial of Queen Meritre Hatshepsut , but was never used for this. KV42 is geographically close to tomb KV32 of Queen Tiaa and KV37 , the owner of which is unknown.

Burials in the grave

From found ritual objects it could be concluded that the tomb was originally built for Queen Meritre-Hatshepsut, but that it never served this purpose. The ruler was probably buried in grave KV35 together with her son Amenophis II . KV42 was never completed. It may have been used by Sennefer , the mayor of Thebes , his wife Senetnai and Baket-Re , "the king's adored ". There is also the possibility that the premises were only used to store funeral instruments here.

The grave was looted in ancient times.

Architecture and equipment

Isometric representation, floor plan and sectional drawing of the tomb

general structure

The grave complex is divided into different segments . A sloping entrance hallway is followed by a corridor and a stairwell that leads to a chamber. Doors separate the individual areas from each other. From there, turn right angles from one move to the east, which in a cartridge form trained grave chamber leads. This has a small adjoining chamber. The grave complex covers a total of 184.77 m².

Entrance area

The entrance was carved into rock. Steps lead inside. They are in good condition. Special recesses made in front of the entrance served to set the sarcophagus down. The entrance gate represents the connection between the entrance hall and a subsequent sloping corridor. The posts of the gate are slightly rounded. When the tomb was discovered, the lower seals of the gate were undamaged. The entire entrance area is carved into rock. Although it has been completely finished, decorations are missing .

The entrance hall has a length of 3.53 m and a width of 1.86 m. Graffiti on the walls indicate in a text to work during the 20th or 21st Dynasty .

The gate area covers an area of ​​1.21 m², the height is 1.9 m and the width 1.13 m. It has a gradient of up to 20.49 °. The gate area deviates from the orientation of the entrance hallway at an angle of 5.33 °.

Downhill walk

A sloping corridor connects the entrance area with a stairwell. When examining the wall surface, it was found that the eastern area has a significantly coarser surface structure. The cause is to be found in the fact that the workers in this area encountered much harder rock. The rest of the corridor shows a finer surface structure made possible by the softer rock. There are signs of the stonemasons on the walls . There are no decorations on the walls. It can also be seen that the work of the craftsmen was not fully completed. A gate area is connected to the sloping corridor, but with a height of 1.63 m it is slightly lower than the gate area of ​​the entrance. Its posts are rounded. The stone carvings have been completed here, wall decorations or graffiti are missing.

The corridor has a length of 16.69 m, a height of 1.79 m and a width of 1.60 m. It deviates by 5.33 ° from the direction of the entrance hallway. The alignment of the gate area corresponds to that of the corridor in front of it. Its length is 1.09 m, the width 1.20 m. The gradient of 20.49 ° corresponds to that in the entrance area.

Stairwell

The stairwell connects the corridor with a chamber. The work of the stonemasons in this area has been completed. Their symbols can be found on the walls and ceiling. There are no decorations on the walls. Holes were filled with limestone. A stairwell leads to another gate area. A post broke on him. Here, too, wall decorations are missing although the stone carving has been completed.

The length of the stairwell is 3.58 m, its width 1.60 m and the height 4.33 m. The alignment of the stairwell corresponds to that of the corridor in front of it. The gate area belonging to the stairwell reaches a height of 2.00 m, is 0.97 m long and 1.12 m wide. Holes are at right angles on both sides. They have a width of 3.55 m, a length of 1.29 m and a height of 1.66 m.

chamber

This area connects to the gate area of ​​the stairwell and is square . There is a bench along the entire western wall. The two corner points in the north and south-east of the chamber are damaged. There is a depression in the southeastern chamber area. The chamber area has a continuous slight slope towards the eastern wall. The stone carving is not finished. Wall decorations are missing in the entire area. The gate area belonging to the chamber represents the transition between the chamber and a corridor. Although the stonemasons have finished their work, the walls remained undecorated. This area adjoins the chamber almost vertically at 89.15 °.

The 1.99 m high chamber is 4.94 m wide and 4.98 m long. It has the same orientation as the stairwell. This associated door area is 1.17 m long, 1.21 m wide and 1.8 m high.

Walk to the burial chamber

This corridor represents the entrance to the burial chamber. It connects directly to the gate area of ​​the chamber in front of it. This one also has no decorations although the stone carving has been completed.

The corridor is 4.31 m long, 1.59 m wide and 2.05 m high. It is oriented at an angle of 89.15 ° to the chamber.

Burial chamber

The burial chamber adjoins the previously described passage and is shaped like a cartridge. It is oriented in an east-west direction. There are two ceiling supports inside the chamber, of which the one in the western chamber area is damaged and the one broken in the east. In this area, which is sarcophagus made of quartzite . It is 2.40 m long, 0.91 m wide and 0.89 m high. It lacks inscriptions, so it is not clear for whom it was made. Handles on the walls that allow maneuvering are still in place.

A star pattern covers the walls and the ceiling area. In addition, a ribbon runs along below the decorated wall area. In the walls there are holes for copper pins, some of which are still there. These could possibly have been used as a plumb bob . The walls of the burial chamber were plastered although this work was not completed.

With a length of 15.25 m, a width of 7.62 m and a height of 2.66, the burial chamber is the largest room in the tomb.

Side chamber

A simple gate connects the burial chamber with a side chamber, which is located on the southern side of the burial chamber. The stone carving in this area has been completed, but wall decorations are missing.

The door to the side chamber is 1.15 m high, 0.86 m wide and 0.88 m long. It is attached almost perpendicular to the burial chamber at an angle of 83.73 °. The side chamber is smaller than the burial chamber and has a length of 3.59 m, is 2.31 m wide and 1.75 m high.

history

The tomb was discovered by Victor Loret in 1899 and excavated in 1900 by Boutros Andraos , Howard Carter and C. Makarios. In 1921 Carter discovered ritual objects in the grave that made it possible to make statements about the burial.

The grave was badly damaged by floods.

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. KV 42, (Hatschepsut - Meritrê) ( Memento from May 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  2. Daniel Polz : The beginning of the new empire: To the prehistory of a turning point. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2007, ISBN 978-3-11-019347-3 , p. 217.
  3. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Entryway A
  4. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Gate B
  5. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Corridor B
  6. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Gate C
  7. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Stairwell C.
  8. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Gate F
  9. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Chamber F
  10. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Gate G
  11. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Corridor G
  12. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Burial chamber J.
  13. Pictures from the grave complex
  14. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Gate Yes
  15. KV 42 (Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra): Side chamber Yes
  16. Thutmose II. - possibly. Royal tomb

Coordinates: 25 ° 44 ′ 16 ″  N , 32 ° 36 ′ 2 ″  E