Post Interment
Activity
in the Tomb of Yuya and Tuyu
by William Max Miller, M.A.
Although often described as
"intact," the burial of Yuya and Tuyu had been extensively plundered in ancient
times, and Quibell, Davis, Maspero, and Weigall discovered many indications of
illicit post interment activity in the tomb. Davis, who expressed initial
skepticism regarding the archeological potential of the excavation site, proved
to be correct when he doubted that a burial located so closely between KV 3 and
KV 4 would be found undisturbed. "The site was most unpromising," he wrote,
"lying as it did between the Ramses (sic.) tombs, which had required many
men for many years; therefore it did not seem possible that a tomb could have
existed in so narrow a space without being discovered." (IT,
xxv.) Although the site turned out to be much more promising than
Davis first suspected, evidence clearly shows that KV 46 had, indeed, been
discovered by thieves and robbed of many of its smaller grave
goods.
First Signs of Post Interment Activity
The Breached Outer Blocking
The Objects in Corridor B and Stairwell C
The Breached Inner Blocking
Evidence of Post Interment Activity
In Burial Chamber
J
Direct Evidence: Objects in Disarray
Further Direct Evidence: Rifled Mummies
Indirect Evidence
Reconstructions of Post Interment Activity
The Traditional View
An Alternative View
A Reexamination of
The Evidence J. L. Smith's Diagram What the Diagram Reveals--
Smith's
diagram of Burial Chamber J employs a series of solid, dotted, and
dashed lines in order to show how the various objects in the burial chamber
were layered. Unfortunately, Smith's rendering of these lines is not always
clear and his labeling of objects with hand-written characters poses
difficulties, especially when he resorts to using Greek symbols, some of which
are almost illegible. The interpretive key that Smith supplies for reading the
diagram is therefore not always very helpful, and the exact position of
certain objects is sometimes ambiguous.
The diagram
distinguishes five different stratigraphic levels of objects in the burial
chamber. Objects found at floor level (referred to here as Level I) are
indicated with a thin solid line. The wooden sarcophagi of Yuya and Tuyu
(objects A and J according to Smith's key) were found resting
directly on the floor of the tomb, and so were drawn with thin solid lines.
Both canopic chests (Smith's R and S) rested at floor level and
are similarly drawn. Since Yuya's sarcophagus was not equipped with a floor,
the basin of his outer coffin (Smith's C) also lay at this level. The
shabtis in their shabti boxes (Smith's e) and the three limestone vases (Smith's i) found between the eastern wall and eastern side of Yuya's
sarcophagus are also at Level 1, as is Tuyu's model coffin (Smith's c). The other Level 1 objects lined
along the southern wall are Yuya's two boxes (Smith's m and x), the two Osiris beds (Smith's l and n), and the Ibex
chair (Smith's T.)
Level 2 objects
are drawn with a thick solid line. Yuya's second coffin basin (Smith's
E) is indicated at this level because it was contained within the outer
coffin basin and did not lay directly on the floor. Part of the lid of Yuya's
outer coffin (Smith's D) rested on the western lower rim of Yuya's
sarcophagus (and perhaps also partly on Chair V), and so it, too, is
drawn with a thick solid line at Level 2. The basin of Tuyu's inner
coffin (Smith's N) is drawn with a thick solid line at Level 2
because her sarcophagus, unlike her husband's, possessed a floor which raised
the basin to this slightly higher elevation. The lid of her inner coffin
(Smith's O) is also at Level 2 because it was found on its left
side, facing east, perched mostly on the floor of sarcophagus J. (The
eastern side-panel of this sarcophagus had been removed, making this position
for the coffin lid possible.) Other Level 2 objects include
Tuyu's cartonnage "mummy cage" (Smith's Q), the reed mat (Smith's b?--his lettering is difficult to make out)
both found in the north-eastern corner, and the wig-basket (Smith's d) in the north-western corner behind Tuyu's
sarcophagus. These objects all lay on pottery vessels which elevated them to
Level 2.
Smith indicates the third
stratigraphic layer of the KV 46 deposit with a heavily dotted line. At this
level (Level 3) were found Tuyu's mummy (Smith's P) and Yuya's
inner coffin basin (Smith's G). The gilt chair (Smith's U), the
alabaster vase (Smith's h) Yuya's jewel box (Smith's z), and a wooden chest (possibly CG 51114), all of which
were found on bedsteads X and W, are also indicated with heavily
dotted lines at this level. Bedstead Y, which was found resting on a
heap of pottery jars and a chariot wheel in the rear of the burial chamber,
also lay at Level 3.
Objects at Level 4
are indicated with a line made of alternating dots and dashes, and include
Yuya's mummy (Smith's I) and his inner coffin lid (Smith's H),
both of which lay within sarcophagus A at approximately the same level.
The lid of Yuya's second coffin (Smith's F) is also drawn with an
alternating line at Level 4: it lay on its right side, facing
west, on top of the lid of Yuya's outer coffin D and leaning against
the western side of Yuya's sarcophagus. The other Level 4 objects are
Tuyu's sarcophagus lid (Smith's K) and her outermost coffin basin
(Smith's L). This sarcophagus lid lay on bedsteads X and
W, covering the gilt chair, alabaster vase, and other objects that had
been placed upon them. Outer coffin basin L rested on top of a heap of
pottery vessels in the north-western corner of the chamber. The vessels had
apparently been piled higher in this corner than those on which bedstead
Y and the chariot rested, and therefore elevated the coffin lid high
enough for inclusion in Level 4.
Objects in the
uppermost level depicted by the diagram (Level 5) are drawn with a fine
dotted line. These objects include Yuya's sarcophagus lid (Smith's B),
the eastern side-panel of Tuyu's sarcophagus (Smith's a), and the lid of Tuyu's
outer coffin (Smith's M). Coffin lid M lay on its left side,
facing east, with its foot end against the eastern wall. It rested on top of
bedstead X, partly covering Tuyu's sarcophagus lid K. The
side-panel of Tuyu's sarcophagus lay across sarcophagus lid K. It's
eastern corner extended into (beneath? above?) coffin lid M, and its
western corner extended above bedstead W, coffin lid O, and
sarcophagus J as far as the rim of Tuyu's innermost coffin.
Accepting these premises, it seems clear
that some of the larger funerary furnishings were found exactly where the
original burial parties placed them. There would have been no need for the
workers employed at Tuyu's burial to move the massive sarcophagus of Yuya
(A) when more easily movable objects (e.g. Yuya’s chariot
[Z]--see below) could be relocated in order to make room for Tuyu’s
grave goods. There also would have been no reason for robbers to move either
of the heavy sarcophagi to other areas of the burial chamber in order to reach
the jewelry-laden mummies that they contained. And restorers would only be
required to move the coffins and mummies back inside the sarcophagi, and to
return certain sarcophagus elements to their original positions, in order to
restore these large wooden structures to their original
configurations.
Similarly, the position of Yuya's
canopic chest (R) is probably original to this object. Smith's diagram
shows it in the south-eastern corner of the chamber, near Yuya's sarcophagus,
exactly where such an object might be placed by the first burial party. If
originally placed here, it would not have been in the way when Tuyu's grave
goods were carried into the tomb, and so would not have been moved at this
time. Nor would thieves familiar with its contents be attracted to such an
object, since they knew it probably would not hold anything of more than
religious value. There would have been no avaricious motive or practical
reason for them to drag this moderately heavy chest out of its original
position and relocate it elsewhere. The same reasoning also obtains for Tuyu's
canopic chest (S) which was probably left against the western wall near
the southern end of her sarcophagus by members of her burial party. The lid of
her sarcophagus (K) could have been easily removed without
repositioning the canopic chest, so thieves would have lacked a practical
reason to move this object.
It also seems likely that
Yuya’s chariot (Z) had either originally occupied its place on top of
the pile of vessels in the northern end of the burial chamber, or had been
located in the space taken over by Tuyu’s sarcophagus (J). In the
latter case, members of Tuyu's burial party would have moved it onto the pile
of vessels, where it was found. It is difficult to imagine any practical
location in the raised main area of Burial Chamber J where the chariot
could have been deposited when Tuyu’s funerary ensemble was moved into place.
Thieves would not have been sufficiently interested in this object to give it
much attention and, providing it was out of their way, the chariot would
remain unmoved in the place where one of the two burial parties had left
it.
Also probably in their original locations (circa
Tuyu’s funeral) are the two bedsteads X and W, located next
to the northern end of Yuya’s sarcophagus. As with Yuya’s chariot, this
position seems to be the only practical spot at which one of the burial
parties could have left the bedsteads, and their straight alignments indicate
that they had not been jostled about by robbers. The third bedstead
(Y), which had been thrown by thieves onto the nearby chariot in the
rear of the room, might have originally rested upon these bedsteads. The crooked angles of the alabaster vase (h), Yuya's jewel box (z), the wooden chest (possibly CG
51114) and gilt chair U found on the bedsteads indicate that
thieves had carelessly left them there. Perhaps the original position of the
vase and chest had been on the floor under the bedsteads. The robbers might
have thrown the third bedstead off the other two in order to place these boxes
at a more convenient spot for searching. Circa Tuyu's burial,
the gilt chair inscribed for Sitamen (U), could have occupied a
position at the southern end of Tuyu’s sarcophagus, next to the eastern side
of her canopic chest, and would have been moved out of the way onto the
bedsteads by thieves in order to facilitate the removal of sarcophagus lid
K. This original position would have placed chair U close to
chair V, which had also been inscribed for Sitamen. That these two
funerary gifts from Tuyu's granddaughter should have originally been placed
close together near Tuyu's sarcophagus and canopics seems quite
likely.
Although slightly displaced when the massive lid
of Yuya's outer coffin (D) was lowered upon it, chair V, as
noted above, was probably put into the position indicated on Smith's diagram
by members of Tuyu's burial party. It's close association with canopic chest
S and sarcophagus J further suggest that it formed a part of
Tuyu's burial equipment. Ibex chair T also probably remained in its
original position against the southern wall. From its location near the
southern end of sarcophagus A, it seems probable that this chair formed
a part of Yuya's funerary equipment. Of little interest to thieves, only one
of the three KV 46 chairs might have given robbers a practical reason for
moving it elsewhere (see gilt chair U above.)
Only few traces of restoration work can be found in the burial chamber. The
covering of Tuyu's mummy can safely be attributed to necropolis officials who
made token gestures of restoring the burial. Also, as noted above, Yuya's
boxes m (CG
51115) and x (CG 51116) contained a jumbled assemblage
of objects unlikely to be their original contents. These diverse things had
probably been gathered up by restorers and stowed away in the boxes. The
position of box m provides a bit of a clue
concerning the number of robberies that took place in KV 46. Consulting
Smith's diagram, it will be noticeable that most of the objects in the
southern part of the burial chamber are set flush with the southern wall. Two
notable exceptions are Yuya's miniature model coffin k and box m. This box and its
companion, box x, had both been restored by
necropolis officials, who probably would have placed both of them flush with
the wall. It seems unlikely that the officials who took the care to properly
align one of these boxes would have left the other at such a crooked angle.
The position of box m makes sense, however, if
we posit a second robbery of KV 46 during which this previously restored
box was moved out of alignment by thieves.
The most
important areas of the burial chamber to examine for further signs of a second
robbery are those which contained Tuyu's funerary equipment. Assuming that
Tuyu's mummy had originally been buried in both of her coffins, and that both
coffins had originally been placed in her sarcophagus, it is crucial to note
that Tuyu's inner coffin had been completely removed from her outer coffin at
some point. According to Smith's diagram, the outer coffin basin was found on
top of the pottery jars in the north-west corner of the burial chamber, and
the outer coffin lid was found on top of the side-panel and lid of Tuyu's
sarcophagus on the two bedsteads (see above.) It is also crucial to note that
(i.) the side-panel, which lay almost perpendicularly across the sarcophagus
lid, extended over and possibly downward into approximately 1/3 of the open
sarcophagus; (ii.) Tuyu's inner coffin, containing her mummy, was found
in a perfectly aligned position in the sarcophagus; and (iii.)
the inner coffin lid had been removed and placed on it's side partly on the
eastern edge of the sarcophagus floor.
Two
distinct robberies are necessary in order to explain this arrangement of
objects. Tuyu's coffins had to be removed from her sarcophagus in order to be
separated, but this operation could not have been accomplished if the
sarcophagus side-panel occupied the position in which it was discovered by the
excavators. The side panel had to be placed somewhere else during a first
robbery in order to permit the removal and disassembly of the large coffin
set. Logically, since the inner coffin had to be removed from the sarcophagus
along with the outer coffin, it had to have been put back in the sarcophagus
at a later date by restorers, as the carefully aligned position in which it
was found within the sarcophagus would indicate. The lid and side-panel had to
have then been removed from the restored sarcophagus and placed at their
diagrammed positions during a second robbery, in which the robbers had
crouched beneath the overhanging side panel and dragged the inner coffin lid
off the restored inner coffin in order to reach Tuyu's
mummy.
Tuyu's outer coffin would also have received
attention from the thieves during the second robbery. They probably found it
in the northern part of the burial chamber where necropolis officials had
placed it during the first restoration (perhaps on top of the chariot
pole--this may have been when the pole was broken.) Discovering that the
coffin was empty, the thieves would have moved it out of the way to provide
better space for maneuvering other objects. While the coffin lid and basin
were being set aside, other members of the robber's gang busied themselves
with removing the lid and side-panel of Tuyu's sarcophagus. They laid the lid
and side-panel upon the two bedsteads as diagrammed and their partners in
crime placed outer coffin lid M upon these sarcophagus elements. Outer
coffin basin L was carried in the opposite direction to the north-west
corner, where it was lifted onto the pottery jars and
left.
Questions and Possible Answers--The reconstruction of events
in the burial chamber of KV 46 proposed here offers more persuasive arguments
for a second robbery than Reeves provides. However, it also raises several
questions. The most challenging question concerns Tuyu's outer coffin. Why
would thieves have gone to the trouble of lifting the inner coffin out of the
outer coffin in the first place? In order to rifle Tuyu's mummy, all they
needed to do was remove the coffin lids. The thieves apparently adopted this
easier procedure when they looted Yuya's mummy. Smith's diagram shows that
only the lids had been removed from Yuya's sarcophagus and coffins, indicating
that the thieves had accomplished the looting of this mummy while standing
inside the sarcophagus. There doesn't seem be any practical reason why the
robbers would have adopted a different modus operandi when they tackled
Tuyu's sarcophagus, coffins, and
mummy.
Assuming that
both coffins had actually been used in Tuyu's burial (and this is the key
assumption of the reconstruction given above) something must have happened
during the first robbery to necessitate the laborious procedure of removing
the heavy nested coffins from Tuyu's sarcophagus. The separation of these
coffins within the crowded confines of the burial chamber would also have been
an onerous task, and a very compelling motivation to undertake this difficult
job would have been required. Quibell supplies a clue to what such a
motivation might have been. As noted above, he
observed impressions of missing jewelry on the hardened resinous material on
Tuyu's mummy (ToYT, 71.) Deemed of sufficient value by
the thieves to be worthy of stealing, one of these missing pieces of jewelry
may have been a solid gold pectoral ornament similar to those found by Howard
Carter on Tutankhamen (CT, 112-113.) As one of the most
expensive of the easily portable objects found on Tuyu's mummy (and perhaps in
the entire tomb) the accidental dropping of such a pectoral ornament out of
reach into an awkward position between Tuyu's inner and outer coffin basins
would have motivated the thieves to remove and separate the two coffins. One
can only imagine the curses heaped upon the unfortunate thief responsible for
such a clumsy accident!
Another possible
explanation for the removal and separation of Tuyu's coffins may be based on
an observation made by Ikram and Dodson (MiAE, 211
[ill. 272.]) They point out that Tuyu's outer coffin is quite
unusual because it is entirely gilded. Outer coffins from nested coffin sets
of this period were typically of the "black" style, with only the
inscriptional bands and decorative figures in gilding. All other areas of such
coffins were coated with black pitch. Perhaps the unusual amount of gilding on
Tuyu's coffins encouraged the robbers to target them for scraping, a procedure
which would have required their removal from the sarcophagus and also their
separation. The robbers could have been scared out of the tomb by approaching
necropolis guards before getting a chance to adz the gilding off the coffins,
or they may simply have run out of time.
Other questions
arise concerning the extent and quality of the two restorations of KV 46. Much
of the "tidying up" that may have been done by the first restorers would have
been undone by the second band of thieves. Consequently, not many deductions
can be made from Smith's diagram concerning the activities of the first group
of necropolis officials who restored the tomb. We know that they refilled
boxes m and x.
They also replaced Tuyu's mummy and inner coffin (with lid in place) back into
her sarcophagus, and put the sarcophagus side-panel and lid back into
position. The first restorers also would have laid Tuyu's discarded outer
coffin out of the way in the northern end of the burial chamber. It is
possible that they replaced Tuyu's chair U back beside her canopic
chest, and repaired any damage done to Yuya's mummy, coffins, and sarcophagus
at this time as well. Any further traces of efforts made to reorganize the
burial during its first restoration remain indiscernible, unless we accept
Reeves's theory that the two small pottery bowls found outside Gate J
were used during this restoration to repair the robber's breach in the inner
blocking wall.
It is probably a misnomer to call the
fourth post interment entry of KV 46 a "restoration." From the state of
disarray found in the burial chamber by the excavators, virtually no actual
restoration work was done by the last people who entered the tomb. Tuyu's
mummy was covered by the linen cloth, the lid of Yuya's sarcophagus was
put back slightly out of alignment, and the robber's entrance in the first
blocking wall was repaired. That seems to be the extent of the second
so-called "restoration." It seems more accurate to refer to this final
activity as an "official inspection" during which the inspectors happened to
make a few token repairs. If these inspectors had actually been ordered to
restore the burial, then they must have been too daunted by the task to do
more than make a few futile gestures before giving up and leaving.
Dating The Robberies--While a third robbery of KV 46 is possible, no evidence can be discerned supporting any further post interment activities in the tomb beyond the two robberies and subsequent restorations explained above. Applying the principle of Occam's Razor, the alleged third robbery is unnecessary to explain the arrangement of objects in the burial chamber and corridor, and should be
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