An Amarna-period ostracon from the Valley of the Kings

• Published in: Antiquity Vol. 75; no. 289; pp. 501 - 502
• Main Author: Reeves, Nicholas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2001; Portland Press
• Subjects: 19th-20th Dynasty; Ancient civilizations of the near east; Antiquities; Archaeological artifacts; Archaeological excavation; Archaeological research; Archaeology; Art and archaeology; Burial; Egypt; Ezz, Ahmed; Historic buildings & sites; New Empire; News & Notes; Projects; Settlement archaeology; Tutankhamun, King of Egypt (1370-52 BC); Valley of the Kings; Dynasty 18; Egypt; Man; Ostraca; Stone; Iconography
• ISSN: 0003-598X; 1745-1744
• DOI: 10.1017/S0003598X00088645

The Amarna Royal Tombs Project (ARTP) initiated its programme of archaeological survey and excavation in the central part of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in November 1998, and has now completed three successive seasons of work under the joint field-direction of Nicholas Reeves and Geoffrey T. Martin. The emphasis to date has been on the documentation and investigation of the ancient settlements which once occupied much of the central Valley — those neglected ‘workmen’s huts’ which previous excavators have occasionally noted, sometimes ‘cleared’, and more rarely planned. A particular focus of ARTP’s work has been that area of settlement located between tombs KV 56 (‘The Gold Tomb’) and KV 9 (Ramesses VI), which in the early years of the 20th century was partially explored both by Theodore Davis (who left little record: cf. Davis 1908: 31) and by Howard Carter (Carter & Mace 1923: 87; cf. Reeves 1990a: plate XIV Reeves & Wilkinson 1996: 84). The greater part of this restricted site — a good deal of its archaeology still intact, despite earlier sondages — has now been excavated down to bedrock, with intriguing results.