This page shows all shabti types found in Royal Cache TT320. The sections are per owner and based on the divergent form of the shabtis

Although more than fifty persons were interred, shabtis have been found for only ten of them. The mummies of the others were reburied without the shabtis they probably had in their original tombs

The source for this research

The high priests of the 21st dynasty reburied the mummies of the old gods (including pharaohs Tuthmose III, Seti I and Ramses II) in a secret collective tomb (also refered to as Cache or Cachette), because a number of kings’ tombs had been defiled and plundered by thieves looking for treasure. The high priests also used this secret spot as a final resting place for themselves and their loved ones. Only a few valuables belonging to the interred royals were found in the tomb. The high priests have probably re-used the missing pieces or stolen them to enrich themselves or to maintain the rule over the south

Menkheppera, a son of Pinedjem I, is missing from the tomb. Menkheperra was in office for no less than 55 years, 42 of them as pharaoh and ruler of the south. During his reign, the clearing out of kings’ tombs continued and must have yielded a lot of gold and silver. It is possible that he took part of these treasures with him to his own final resting place. His tomb and the one belonging to his wife have not been discovered yet

The discovery of the collective tomb in 1881 gives us insight into the things that were interred with the high priests and their loved ones. This may have included 4000 shabtis, Maspero estimated the total in 1881 around 3700. A number of them were sold illegally even before the tomb was officially opened. Others were lost, trampled or sold to tourists and museums. The Egyptian museum itself had a shop where shabtis could be bought. The remaining shabtis and fragments are now in museums, universities and private collections

In 2014 the Cairo museum had 492 Royal Cache shabtis on display, 382 workers and 110 overseers. It is unknown whether any shabtis or fragments still exist in locations that are not publicly accessible

In Les Momies Royales de Deir El-Bahari 1899, pg 590-591 Maspero writes that at least 20 ushebti boxes were found, of which 12 intact and the others crushed and fragmented by the weight of the shabti’s. He mentions 2 boxes for Pinedjem I (pictures below), 2 for Henuttawy (pictures below), 2 for Maatkara (pictures below), none for Masaharta, fragments for Tayuheret, 2 for Pinedjem II, fragments for Isetemkheb D (restorated by the museum, pictures of 4 boxes), 1 for Nesykhonsu (she might have usurped one or two boxes from Isetemkhebit D (see pictures)), 3 for Djedptahiufankh (only one box is known to me, see picture) and fragments of a box or boxes for Nestanebetisheru

This overview would not exist without

Niek de Haan who got me enthusiastic about the blue shabtis

Edward Loring (sadly, Edward passed away in 2015) who had taken to heart Egypt and the 21st dynasty. From him I received detailed photos of TT320 shabtis in the Cairo Museum

Prof. Andrzej Niwinski, who, with his impressive research and publications, has compiled an incredible amount of detailed information about the Third Intermediate Period, which I gratefully use to support my research

Glenn Janes who made it possible for me to wrap up my project. He shared materials with me that enabled me to verify earlier research and fill in gaps

The Theban Mummy Project presented by Wm. Max Miller were you can find awesome photo’s, background stories and references

Andreas von dem Berge who has provided professional 3D films of many shabtis with special provenance or historical context, including many from the Royal Cache and Bab el Gasus

Thank you all!

Please keep in mind that the dates of the specimens given here may be off to a certain degree. Various scholars are using other dates that in some cases differ by decades. I have included the dates I deem most probable based on various publications. If you have any questions, comments or improvements, please send an email to info@ushabtis.com

Below you will find an overview of the shabtis, followed by some background information on the discovery of the tomb, Maspero’s notes and the location of the Royal Cache

Relevant publications

Les momies royales de Deir El-Bahari, 1889 by G. Maspero Maspero, Gaston (1846-1916)

Cercueils des Cachettes Royales by M. Georges Daressy, 1909

The Royal Mummies (1912) by Smith, Grafton Elliot (Sir; 1871-1937)
Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire N° 61051-61100

21st Dynasty coffins from Thebes: Chronological and typological studies, by Andrzej Niwinski 1988
– outstanding standard reference publication for coffins of Thebes from the Third Intermediate Period

Contribution à l’étude de l’Amdouat: Les variantes tardives du Livre de l’Amdouat dans les papyrus du Musée du Caire by Sadek, Abdel-Aziz Fahmy 1985
– extensive reference publication of the Amdouat papyri in Cairo

Studies on the illustrated Theban Funerary Papyri of the 11th and 10th Centuries B.C. by Prof. Andrzej Niwinski, 1989
– another amazing work from this author. In my overview I have taken the liberty of showing the notes from his publication to quickly get a complete overview of the papyri that can be attributed to a shabti

Burial Assemblages of Dynasty 21-25: Chronology – Typology – Developments by David Aston 2009
– very complete and standard reference of the burial assemblages of Dynasty 21-25

Funerary Statuettes and Model Sarcophagi, Percy E. Newberry 1930, 1937, 1957
Fascicule 1, Le Caire, 1930, CG 46530-48273
Fascicule 2, Le Caire, 1937, CG 48274-48575
Fascicule 3, Le Caire, 1957, Indices and Planches
– standard reference for shabtis in the Cairo Museum

Pinedjem I – pAy-nDm I

Also known as Paynedjem, Pajnedjem, Pinezem, Pinudjem
Period c. 1070 to 1032 BC
Ranke I, pg. 114, 10

High priest of Amon in Thebes and later ruler from the border city Tayu-djayet (el-Hiba). Tayu-djayet marked the division of the land between the high priests of Amon in Thebes and the kings of Egypt in Tanis. During his reign he reinforced control and proclaimed himself pharaoh over the south of Egypt. His son, Psusennes I, became pharaoh in the north (Tanis). Pinedjem lived to 60 years of age. His original tomb is unknown.

The shabtis of Pinedjem I are not large, but they are among the most beautiful from the 21st dynasty. In the Cairo Museum I have counted 23 workers and 3 overseers

Funerary papyri attributed by Sadek, BA S .R. VII .11492, Cairo 114 Niwinski. Numbers in Sadek ‘Musee du Caire, 11 et 4761’, see Amduat papyrus Pinedjem II

BD S.R.VII.11488 – CG 40006, Cairo 111

Book of Dead for Pinedjem I
See also Seeber 1976, p.210; Saleh and Sourouzian 1986, No 235; Maspero 1912, No 4761 and CAIRO katalog Die Hauptwerke im Ägyptischen Museum Kairo, 1986, no. 235
Panorama view, VB 2021

Exterior coffin Pinedjem I ursurped from Tuthmosis I. Cairo Museum CG 61025. Photo: Cesras – Edward Loring

Henuttawy A – Hnwt-tAwy A

Duat Hathor and Mistress of the Two Lands (Queen)

Also known as Henouttawy, Honittaoui

It is assumed that Henuttawy is a daughter of Ramses XI, the last king of the 20th dynasty. She becomes Pinedjem I’s first wife, has many titles and plays an important role at court. Originally she has her own tomb in an unknown location, and before she is interred in the secret cachette her mummy boxes are stripped of the gold that covered them.

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 41 workers and 7 overseers.

Funerary papyri
BD S.R.IV.955 – JE 95856 – CG 40005, Cairo 36 

Book of Dead for Henuttawy A, Length 367 cm, Height 45.5 cm
See Analecta Papyrologica by Moamen Othman, Ahmed Tarek and Mohamed Abdelrohman
Panoramaview, VB 2022

BA S.R.IV.992 – JE 95887, Cairo 47

Amduat papyrus for Henuttawy A, Length 143 cm, Height 33.5 cm
Panoramaview, VB 2022

Pontificate Menkheperre c. 1051 – 1001 BC, see Aston pg. 225

Interior coffin of Henuttawy A. Cairo Museum JE 26224 / CG 61026. The decoration of the coffin is largely stripped of. Photo: Edward Loring

Maatkara – mAat-kA-ra

God’s Wife of Amun

Also known as Maatkare, Makeri, Mutemhat, Mutemhet, Kamara

Maatkara was the eldest daughter of Pinedjem I and Henuttawy A and became the most powerful woman in the south of Egypt. Her position was equal to that of the high priest of Amon. Maatkare received the title of ‘Divine Adoratrice’: God’s Wife of Amun.

Her original burial place is unknown; her mummy was found in the Royal Cache cache along with her coffins, shabtis and other mummies from her immediate family. A small mummy, originally thought to be a child of hers was later revealed to be that of a pet monkey. (God’s Wives were supposed to be celibate.)

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 96 workers and 14 overseers

Funerary papyrus
BD S.R.IV.980 – JE 26229 – CG 40007, Cairo 43

Book of the Dead for Maatkara
Length 612 cm, height ? cm
See Le Papyrus hiéroglyphique de Kamara et Le Papyrus hiératique de Nesikhonsou
Edouard Naville, 1912
Panorama view, VB 2022

Box Maatkara – Mutemhat
In 2020, I photographed another box of Maatkara with two cartouches. On the left the one of Maatkara and on the right the one of her other name Mutemhat. In Porter and Moss The Theban Necropolis pg. 663 the suggestion is made that this is a shabti box (the second in their publication). Since the two boxes shown above are sufficient to house the shabtis of Maatkarte I assume that this box was used for other grave goods. Aston makes no mention of this box.
Cairo JE 26268
Photo: VB 2020

Exterior and interior coffin Maatkara. Cairo Museum JE 26200 / CG 61028 / SR 19377. Photo: VB 2015

Masaharta – mA-sA-hrT

High Priest of Amun

Also known as Masahirti

The eldest son of Pinedjem I was Masaharta. After Pinedjem had proclaimed himself pharaoh he transferred his title of High Priest of Amon to his son.

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 24 workers and 17 overseers. Masaharta’s original tomb was probably plundered in ancient times, and it is not clear whether all his shabtis date from the same period. It is assumed that there were two shabti boxes. Photos are not available.

Aston thinks that the mummy of Masaharta, damaged by robbers, was restored by the priests of the Third Intermediate Period and that possibly worker shabtis from later times were added. I see no evidence for the latter (Aston type E pg. 358 is incomparable to the types shown above). See Aston pg. 222 and 358.

Since the overseers do bear some style resemblance to shabtis from later periods, it might well be that they were added after the mummy was restored. Also, the overseer of Hennutawy A (Overseer 1) gives the impression that it might be from another time. However, for now, this is only theory and needs further investigation.

There is no funerary papyri known

The burial dates to c. 1057-1051 BC

Exterior coffin of Masaharta Cairo Museum JE 26195 / CG 61027.
Photo: VB 2015

Tayuheret – tAyw-Hrt

Chief of the harem of Amun-Ra

Also known as Taiouheret, Taiouhrit

Wife of Masaharta. In the Cairo Museum I have counted 14 workers and 18 overseers. Fragments of one shabti box were found. No photo available.

There is no funerary papyri known

The burial is dated to 1070-1060 BC, Aston pg. 223

Exterior and interior coffin of Tayuheret usurped from Hatet. Cairo Museum JE 26196 / CG 61032 / SR 10344.
Photo: VB 2020

Pinedjem II – pA-nDm II

High priest of Amun

Also known as Painozem II, Panedjem
Ranke I, pg. 114, 10

Pinedjem II was the son of Menkheppera, grandson of Pinedjem I and married to his sister Isetemkheb D and his niece Nesykhonsu. His brother Tjanefer was burried in the Bab el Gasus Cache. In the Cairo Museum I have counted 27 workers and 7 overseers. His shabtis are large and have a deep blue colour, just like the ones for his second wife, Nesykhonsu. Two shabti boxes entered the Egyptian Museum with no. JE 46943 and JE 46942 (also assumed to belong to Pinedjem II). Unfortunately I found no photos and the boxes could not be traced in Cairo

On the shabti of Pinedjem II (970 BC) the term “Ushebti” is used for the first time, and from this moment on shabtis are called Ushabtis. But in most publications (including on this website), the term shabti is usually used for the entire shabti period

Funerary papyri
Amun decree JE 95684 – CG 58033

See Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire No. 58001-58036 Papyrus Hieratiques, Golenischeff 1927, plates XXX-XXXIV, see also pg. 196-209
For a legible version, see Deification decree of Amun for Pinedjem II

BD BM 10793 British Museum, London 63

Book of the Dead papyrus of Pinedjem II
Photos © The Trustees of the British Museum and Totenbuchprojekt Bonn, TM 134515
Panorama view VB 2022/2024

BA S .R. VII .11492, Cairo 114
Numbers in Sadek ‘Musee du Caire, 11 et 4761’

Amduat papyrus for Pinedjem II (or Pinedjem I, Sadek), Length 480 cm, height 32 cm
See Contribution à l’étude de l’Amdouat, Sadek 1985, C33 – 3 fragments on Planche 48, for short description see page 227-228, attributed to Pinedjem I (Niwinski attributed this papyrus to Pinedjem II and coffin JE 26197)
Panorama view VB 2021

Interior coffin Pinedjem II. Cairo Museum JE 26197 / CG 61029 / SR 10327.
Photo: VB 2015

Isetemkheb D – Ast-m-Ax-bit D

Also known as Isetemkheb, Isetemkhebi, Istemkheb, Asetemachbit, Asetemakhbit
Ranke I, pg. 4, 3
The name means ‘Isis is in Ipu (Akhmim)‘

Overseer of the Harem of Amun-Re

Isetemkheb was Pinedjem II’s sister and his first wife. In the Cairo Museum I have counted 31 workers and 6 overseers. One shabti box Cairo Museum JE 26275 and second shabti box (attributed). Her her daughter Herytubekhet has been found in the Bab el Gasus cache

Funerary papyri

BD S.R.IV.525 – JE 26228 bis, Cairo 1

Book of the Dead papyrus of Isetemkheb D
Photos © Totenbuch-Projekt, TM 134464
Panorama view VB 2024

Shabti boxes Isetemkheb D
Cairo Museum JE 26275 / TR 14/12/27/3
Maybe the two boxes above (Maspero mentions that they only found crushed and fragmented material) were used for Isetemkheb. They suffered from water damage in another tomb were Isetemkhebit was interred before she was reburied in TT320. The other two might be used for Nesykhonsu who also ursurped a coffin set from Isememkheb. Maspero mentions only one box, that might by the one below with the three compartments. Maybe he ignored the other one because it does not have the style of a shabti box. Probably all boxes were restorated by the museum.
Photo’s: Cesras
Research

Exterior and interior coffin Isetemkheb D. Cairo Museum JE 26198 / CG 61031.
Photo: VB 2020

Nesykhonsu A – nsy-xnsw

Also known as Neskhons, Nesikhons, Nesikhonsu, Nesikhonsou, Neschons, Nesi-Khensu, Eskhons
Ranke I, pg. 178, 20
The name means ‘The one who belongs to Khonsu’

From her two coffins, which are described by Prof. Maspero, we obtain a full list of her offices thus (Wallis Budge, 1912): First head-woman of the secluded women of Amen-Ra, the King of the gods, Chief lady of the Temple of Khensu-em-Uast, Nefer-hetep, Priestess of Amen-Ra, Lord of Aarut, Priestess of Nekhebet the White, of Nekhen, Priestess of Osiris, Horus, and Isis in Abydos, Priestess of Hathor, Lady of Cusae, Divine Mother of Khensu-pa-khart, Chief woman of Amen-Ra, the King of the gods, President (Chief) of the noble women

Niece and second wife of Pinedjem II, mother of Nestanebetisheru. She was the daughter of the lady Takhentdjehuti and of Nesbanebdjed II (Smendes II) the son of the priest-king Menkheperre. Her coffins, most likely originally made for Isetemkheb D, were already stripped of their gold coverings in ancient times, and her heart scarab was stolen by the Abd-el-Rassul family, but it was recovered and taken to the British Museum.

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 30 workers and 11 overseers.
Two shabti boxes (attributed), no photos
Coffins JE 26199 / CG 61030 / SR 10325 in Cairo, see Niwinski 1988, pg. 115

The burial can be dated to c. 981 B.C., Aston pg. 229

Aston mentions three wooden tablets BM 16672 (should be in London, but I can’t find it), Paris E.6858 and Cairo JE 46891 (published in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 1955 / 12 Vol. 41, The Decree of Amonrasonthēr for Neskhons). There are two other tablets at the bottom of this review of Nesykhonsu

Funerary papyri
BD S.R.VII.11573 – S.R.VII.11485 – JE 26230, Cairo 109

S.R.IV.991 – JE 26228 – CG 58032, see here the Amun decree, Cairo A

The mummy of Nesykhonsu was partly unwrapped by Gaston Maspero on June 27’th, 1886. G. E. Smith completed the unwrapping in 1906. Although Smith could not determine her age at death, he notes that Nesykhonsu had no gray hairs and must have been relatively young when she died. Smith described the face of Nesykhonsu as being narrow, elliptically shaped, and graceful. Both ears had been pierced and Smith observed that the earlobes had been noticeably stretched and lengthened, indicating that Nesykhonsu had frequently worn very heavy earrings. Source The Theban Royal Mummy Project

Wallis Budge writes “It is not quite clear why Nesi-Khensu was such an important personage at Thebes, but there is no doubt that she enjoyed an ecclesiastical authority and wielded a power in that city which was little less than that possessed by the “Morning Star Priestess” i.e., the high priestess of Amen-Ra. She is never called “royal wife,” or ” queen,” and her name is never written in a cartouche. Her position in the palace is indicated by the title “chief of the noble women” which, according to Prof. Naville, means the chief of the women of inferior rank who lived in the royal harem. Among the other titles of Nesi-Khensu is one of considerable interest, namely, Royal Son of Kesh, governor of the Lands of the South

Now, Royal Son of Kesh (Kush) was the title of the Viceroy of Nubia, i.e., of the Egyptian Sudan, and it is nowhere else applied to a woman. Nesi-Khensu was, it is true, a priestess of Khnemu, the Lord of the Cataract Region, but however great her authority may have been at Elephantine and Philae, it cannot have been great enough to justify her calling herself Royal Son of Kesh. None of the priest-kings can ever have exercised effective rule in the Sudan, still less a priestess in the position of Nesi-Khensu. As priestess her chief duties were in connection with the oversight of the secluded women of Amen, who formed a kind of college, and who helped in performing the services in the temple of Amen-Ra.”

Exterior and interior coffin NesyKhonsu ursurped from Isetemkheb D. Cairo Museum JE 26199 / CG 61030 / SR 10325, numbers on old labels 1184 – 61095 – Sp 10325.
Photo: VB 2015

Nestanebetisheru – ns-tA-nbt-iSrw

Also known as Nesitanebashru, Nestanebtashru, Estanebasher
Ranke I, pg. 179, 15
The name means ‘She who belongs to the Lady of Isheru’

According to Wallis Budge, the princess had the following titles: Great lady-in-chief of the secluded women (harem) of Amen-Ra, the king of the gods, Priestess of Amen-Ra, lord of Aaru, Priestess of Nekhebet, the goddess of Nekhen the White (Nekhen was called Eileithyiaspolis by the Greeks, and it was the capital of the Third Nome of Upper Egypt), Priestess of Anher-Shu, son of Ra, Priestess of Pekhthut, the great goddess, lady of Set (a district near Beni Hasan), Priestess of Osiris, lord of Abydos, Priestess of Menu, Horus, and Isis, Priestess of Tcheba (?), the lord of the Nome Antaeopolites, Servant of the books of Amen-Ra, the king of the gods, Singer, of the district of Mut, the great goddess, the lady of Asher (a quarter of Thebes which contained the temple of Mut), President (Chief) of the noble ladies

The mummy of Nesitanebtashru was 1 metre 75 centimetres in length, and it was opened on June 30th, 1886. In the swathing’s were found two straps, which were crossed over the breast, and on each of the four leather ends was stamped the following inscription : “Mut, the great lady, the lady of Ashru, the Queen of all the gods”. Under these, folded in four, was a piece of stuff, which seems to have been part of the funerary swathing’s that were made for Queen Ast-em-khebit in the thirteenth year of a king whose name is not given. Dr. Fouquet suggested that Nesitanebtashru was thirty-five or forty years of age when she died

Source of the data above: The Greenfield Papyrus, E.A. Wallis Budge, 1912

Daughter of Pinedjem II and Nesykhonsu. She probably married Djedptahiufankh

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 34 workers and 10 overseers
Coffins JE 26202/ CG 61033 in Cairo, see Niwinski 1988, pg. 115
Two shabti boxes, Cairo Museum JE 46887, JE 46892, no photos
The burial can be dated to c. 954 B.C., see Aston pg. 230

Funerary papyrus
BM 10554, London 61 (Niwinski)
See British Museum, ‘Related objects’ for the frames of the 37 metres long papyrus

Nestanebetisheru
Faience, 14.6 cm
21st Dynasty, 970 BC
Private collection UK. Ex Henri Hoffmann Collection, reference: G. Legrain, Collection H. Hoffmann (Paris, 1894) pp. 70-71 [no. 236]
Photo: GJ

Exterior and interior coffin Nestanebetisheru Cairo Museum JE 26202 / CG 61033. The decoration of the outer coffin is covered with black bitumen.
Photo: VB 2015

Detail of the outer coffin that is coated with a black substance that obscures most of its inscriptions and decorations
Photo: Edward Loring 2007

Djedptahiufankh – Dd-ptH-iwf-anx

Also known as Djedptahiwfankh, Djedptahioufankh, Zadptahefonkhou
Period c. 969 to 932 BC.
The burial can be dated to c. 932 BC (Aston pg. 231)
Ranke I, pg. 410, 11

The name means ‘Ptah has spoken and he lives’

Djedptahiufankh is only known from his burial and mummy. He held the title of “Second prophet of Amen”, District Governor as well as “King’s Son of Ramesses” and “King’s Son of the Lord of the Two Lands”. The latter may suggest that he was related to the royal family of possibly the 21st Dynasty or 22nd Dynasty

Djedptahiufankh is assumed to be Nestanebetisheru’s husband. This theory is based on the fact that Djedptahiufankh was buried next to Nesitanebetashru in TT320

“The undisturbed condition of his coffins and mummy suggest that he was buried directly in TT320. Thus, he was undoubtedly the last of the Pinudjem-related individuals to be interred there; and it has been suggested that it was probably on the occasion of Djedptahiufankh’s burial that the final reopening of TT320 took place and the deposit of the New Kingdom royal and associated mummies therein was affected.

Gaston Maspero partially unwrapped No. 61097 in 1886, and Elliot Smith completed the job on September 5, 1906, bringing to light a large number of stone amulets and other objects contained within the bandaging. Djedptahiufankh’s fingers and toes also bore several band-like gold rings, which Smith thought had been employed to hold the nails in place during mummification. Maspero had likewise found items of jewellery on the mummy during his partial unwrapping”.
Source: Tombs. Treasures. Mummies. Book Five © Dennis C. Forbes

In the Cairo Museum I have counted 62 workers and 17 overseers. Maspero counted three shabti boxes. Aston writes: “Maspero’s count of the boxes may be wrong; two per burial are the norm, and only one (JE 46886) is recorded in the Journal d’Entrée.” David A. Aston, Burial Assemblages of Dynasty 21-25. No photos.

Funerary papyri
BD location unknown 1
Amun decree, location unknown

BA S.R.VII.10246, Cairo 83

Amduat papyrus for Djedptahiufankh, Contribution à l’étude de l’Amdouat
See Sadek 1985, C6 Planche 12-13, for description see page 106-110
Panorama view, VB 2021

The Etiquette

The label is drawn in black and red, to the right of the composition of the Great Amdouat, which indicates that the papyrus has been rolled up from left to right. The label shows the deceased burning incense before Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. The god, on the left, is seated, in profile and torso facing, on an archaic throne with a red painted cushion and placed on a pedestal. He is wearing the headdress of a Nemes, the uraeus on the forehead, surmounted by the Atef with two feathers indicated in dots. He wears the beard of the gods, and he is clothed with the sticky garment from which the two hands which hold, in the right hand, the crook and, with his left hand, the flail. In front of the pedestal is the emblem of Anubis

The deceased, on the right, stands with a censer in his right hand; his left hand is raised in a gesture of adoration that accompanies the offering. On his head is the perfume cloth and a lotus bud. He is dressed in a short loincloth tied at the waist and in a transparent shirt, falling to the middle of his legs and with raised sleeves. In front of him, a jar with spout and a lotus flower are placed on a gueridon

Contribution à l’étude de l’Amdouat, © Sadek 1985, C6 see Planche 13c, translated from page 108-109

Exterior coffin lid Djedptahiufankh ursurped from Nesyshuenopet, Cairo Museum JE 26201 / CG 61034. Photo: Heidi Kontkanen 2016

Background info

Gaston Maspero’s notes

The Antiquities Service was founded in Cairo in 1858. From that moment on, it was no longer allowed to dig without a licence or without supervision. In addition, all objects first had to be offered to the new Egyptian Museum. There it was decided which antiquities they would keep, and which objects could go to the finders. The contents of as yet undiscovered graves became the property of the Egyptian government. In reality, however, illegal excavation and trading went on for several decades, and there was nothing the Antiquities Service could do about it.

In 1874 the head of the service, Gaston Maspero, discovered that pieces were appearing on the art market that belonged to owners whose tombs had not yet been found. The cartouches, titles and names pointed to a royal tomb. Maspero knew that the objects had to come from an unlicensed tomb, but he could not find out where it was located. Finally, using an American buyer as a decoy, he traced the objects to the Rassul family from Qurnah. A small village close to the tomb, living on the proceeds of tourism and artefacts sold illegally.

Two brothers, one of whom was Ahmed Abd el-Rassul, the finder of the site, were apprehended and tortured at length. Ahmed would need a cane for the rest of his life. The brothers did not confess and had to remain in custody. On June 25, 1881, the third brother, Mohammed, who had not been arrested, finally decided to disclose the location of the tomb to the authorities on the condition that he would receive a reward.

Since Gaston Maspero, the head of the Antiquities Service, was on holiday in France at that point in time, his assistant, Emile Brugsch, decided to immediately leave the Bulaq museum for Luxor, together with an assistant. Accompanied by the brothers they descended into the shaft of the tomb, where they spent some time revelling at what they had found. The corridors and rooms of the tomb were filled to capacity with boxes, royal mummies and all kinds of funerary items. Straight away, Emile Brugsch decided to empty the tomb as soon as possible in order to protect its contents from further theft. In the end, they managed this in less than 48 hours, with 200 workmen.

From a scholarly viewpoint this turned out to be a disaster; virtually nothing had been written down, and later on, Maspero had to rely on verbal statements when writing his report. In the Bulaq museum Maspero also researched the shabtis from TT320, and a number of interesting notes from his research have been preserved. See the accompanying pictures.

Location of TT320

In 2012 I had the pleasure of visiting the entrance of the tomb, together with the unsurpassed Egyptologist Huub Pragt and the independent shabti researcher Niek de Haan, and I shot a brief holiday video there and included some data and photos from Edward Grafe and George B. Johnson’s article in KMT, volume fifteen, number three, fall of 2004.