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QV 59
Anonymous

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Entrances QV57, QV58, and QV59 with workers' huts. Grotto in background.
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A
Entryway A
B
Chamber B
C
Chamber C
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Entryway A

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The shaft entrance has a modern cemented masonry surround with a metal grill with mesh.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated
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Shaft entrance of QV 59. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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View from shaft entrance into Chamber B. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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Chamber B

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A large, well-cut rectangular undecorated chamber, situated perpendicular to the shaft (A) on the southeast side.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated
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View from shaft entrance into Chamber B. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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View of ceiling in Chamber B. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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Chamber C

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A large, well-cut rectangular undecorated chamber, situated perpendicular to the shaft (A) on the west side.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

About

QV 59 is located on the north side of the main Wadi between QV 58 and QV 60. The tomb has two similar sized chambers on different axes, one lying to the east (B) and another to the north (C). The shaft entrance (A) has a modern cemented masonry surround with a metal grill and mesh.

Elizabeth Thomas mentions that the tomb was in pristine condition and cut from good quality rock. The tomb was last cleared by the Franco-Egyptian team in 1986, at which time they noted that they cleared the tomb unusually quickly.

The tomb was constructed in the 18th Dynasty.

Dating

This site was used during the following period(s):

New Kingdom
Dynasty 18
1959-1960: Documentation
Thomas, Elizabeth
1981: Mapping/planning
Theban Mapping Project
1986: Excavation
Franco Egyptian Mission
1990-1991: Conservation
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
2006-2008: Survey and Documentation
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA)
2010: Tomb clearance
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA)

Site Condition

According to the GCI-SCA, the tomb seems to be in stable condition. A number of fractures run through both chambers (B and C) and the shaft (A). Substantial salt growth is present, both as encrustations and crystals protruding from the rock. A quantity of bat guano is present on the floors and mud wasps' nests are attached to the ceiling. Water infiltration and resulting mobilization of salts is the largest concern in this tomb. 

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Entrance to QV52 in background, foreground includes entrances to QV58, QV59, QV61, QV60, QV62, and worker's huts.
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Entrance to QV51, QV52, QV53, QV55, and unfinished QV85 in background with workers' huts in foreground.
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Entrances QV57, QV58, and QV59 with workers' huts. Grotto in background.
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Entrances to QV58, QV59, and QV60 with workers' huts.
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Entrances to QV58, QV59, QV60, and QV61 with workers' huts. Visitors shelter at QV66 and QV80 in background.
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Entrance to QV51, QV59, worker's huts, and visitors shelter
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Entrance to QV58, QV59, and worker's huts. Visitors shelter at QV66 in background.
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Visitors shelter at QV55 and QV66, workers' huts, and entrances to QV58, QV59, and QV80
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Entrance to QV52 and visitors shelters at QV55 in background. Foreground includes coptic remnants, workers’ huts, QV58, QV59, QV60, QV61, QV62, QV85, QV80, and QV66 with visitors shelter.
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General view of the main wadi towards QV66 with entrances to QV51, QV52, QV58, QV59, QV80, QV85, workers’ huts, and visitors shelter at QV66
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General view of the main wadi from northwestern side of the main wadi with entrances to QV51, QV52, QV58, QV59, QV80, and QV85. Workers’ huts, visitors shelter at QV66, and lime kiln in the foreground.
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Visitors shelter between QV50 and QV51 with grotto in the background
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Shaft entrance of QV 59. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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View from shaft entrance into Chamber B. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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View of ceiling in Chamber B. © Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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ARCE/VOQ.00215.jpg
ARCE/VOQ.00245.jpg
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Geography and Geology of the Valley of the Queens and Western Wadis

The Valley of the Queens and the Western Wadis are made up of numerous valleys spread out over a vast space of desert, each containing tombs for the New Kingdom queens and other royal family members. The poor quality rock has led to damage in several tombs after suffering from earthquakes and floods.

Bibliography

CNRS mission report: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France). Rapport d'activité 1987-1988 URA no. 1064, 1987-1988.

Demas, Martha and Neville Agnew (eds). Valley of the Queens. Assessment Report. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2012, 2016. Two vols.

Leblanc, Christian. Ta set nefrou: une nécropole de Thèbes-ouest et son histoire, 1: géographie- toponymie: historique de l'exploration scientifique du site. Cairo: Nubar Printing House, 1989.

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