Sunday 15 January 2012

Kv64: News from the Valley of the Kings - Post a Comment

BTW I have known about this tomb for sometime as had a number of other people like Andrea Byrnes and Kate Phizackerley, all of us bloggers united to keep the tomb safe putting Egyptology above personal egos. Here is Kate's comments about this back story. Blogger: News from the Valley of the Kings: There is a back story to this announcement. As many people will know, Andrea Byrnes and I were filtering all the archaeological news during the Egyptian revolution last year, and I was responsible for the Egyptologcal Looting Database. We heard rumours that a new tomb had been found in the Valley of the Kings by the University of Basel. At that point, the Valley was unprotected because the security police had been withdrawn and news of a new tomb could have drawn looters to the valley like bears to honey. Dr Thomas Schuler of Blue Shield helped us to warn the University of Basel of the growing rumours - it is another example of the work of Blue Shield in protecting Egypt's heritage. They rushed out a report about KV40b as a minor feature and I carried that here as news to pooh-pooh rumours of a new tomb.

I am not certain yet whether KV64 had been found in spring 2011 but it seems likely (if not then the rumours were assuming that KV40b is a tomb when it probably isn't). My apologies to readers that I didn't carry the story at the time but the safety of the tomb in such uncertain times was paramount. I know others like Jane Akshar also helped in damping down expectations and rumours in that critical period.


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