KV58

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Egyptian tomb Tomb KV58, also known as the "Chariot Tomb", is located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was discovered in January 1909 by Harold Jones, excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis.Template:Sfn The circumstances of the discovery and specifics of the excavation were only given a passing mention in Davis' account,Template:Sfn who attributes the discovery to Edward Ayrton in 1907 instead. The tomb consists of a shaft leading to a single chamber and contained only embossed gold foil, furniture knobs, and a single ushabti. The contents likely originated from the Eighteenth Dynasty tomb of Ay in WV23.Template:Sfn Davis considered this tomb to be the burial place of the then little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun.Template:Sfn

Discovery, excavation, and contents

The tomb was discovered on 10 January 1909 and is located between the tomb of Horemheb (KV57) and the "Gold Tomb" (KV56). Harold Jones encountered the top of the shaft over below ground level. Excavation of the shaft yielded box handles and knobs, pieces of gold foil, small uraei, and pieces of faience inlay, concentrated at a depth of . The shaft opened to the west onto a single chamber. The room was filled with of water-deposited fill; this contained more gold foil and an alabaster ushabti.Template:Sfn Davis, in his publication, states that the gold foil was found within a broken box, and that the ushabti was "lying on the floor in one corner."Template:Sfn Comparison with Jones' journal reveals that this "neat picture...is almost certainly incorrect" with the gold found in the fill of both the shaft and chamber.Template:Sfn

Given KV58's proximity to the tomb of Horemheb, it was likely cut as a satellite tomb. The single uninscribed ushabti is possible evidence of an earlier use of the tomb.Template:Sfn Davis saw this tomb as the burial place of the then little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun.Template:Sfn

The box handles, knobs, and gold foil bear the names of Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamun, and both the royal and non-royal names of Ay. The gold foil is embossed with designs of the king (Tutankhamun or Ay) defeating enemies with both a mace and chariot, trampling enemies as a sphinx, and practicing archery; floral designs are also present.Template:Sfn These fragments likely represent the remains of the fittings of at least one chariot.Template:Sfn Their ultimate origin is likely the tomb of Ay, WV23, being deposited by robbers into the half filled shaftTemplate:Sfn during the official dismantling of the royal burials at the end of the New Kingdom. If this is the case, its proximity to KV57 may indicate the transfer of Ay's mummy of that tomb, which Reeves suggests was employed as a cache of royal mummies.Template:Sfn

External links

• Theban Mapping Project: KV58 includes detailed maps of most of the tombs.