Tomb KV53 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. It has been excavated but never been thoroughly planned and consists of a single chamber at the end of a shaft.
Discovery, layout, and contents
KV53 was discovered in 1906 by Edward Ayrton during excavations conducted on behalf of the American millionaire Theodore Davis. After thoroughly investigating the southern section of the side valley leading to the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35), excavation moved to the other side of the path, north of KV29. KV53 was discovered underneath later workers’ huts.
The tomb consists of a shallow shaft that descends to a large room. Ayrton notes the tomb had been looted in antiquity, with the only find reported being an ostracon dedicated to Meretseger naming an unquestionable “Hora, chief scribe of the Place of Truth”. Several more ostraca had been found in the shaft fill, and more still, which were likely contemporary with them, had been used to construct the walls of the workers’ dwellings.
Recent excavations of Tomb KV53
Excavations conducted in this area in the winter of 2009-2010, attempting to relocate tombs KV50, KV51, KV52 and KV53, revealed 18th Dynasty blue painted pottery, tools, and hieratic and figured ostraca, including a sketch of a seated queen presenting an offering, and depictions of sex scenes with women and animals. Cartouches of Ramesses II were also present on ostraca.
