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A project of the American Research Center in Egypt

Entryway A

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A large, unprotected shaft leads down to the burial chamber.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated

Burial chamber B

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An unusually elongated, rectangular burial chamber that is undecorated. The walls and ceiling have eroded and the exact dimensions of the chamber is obscured by debris.

  • Chamber plan:

    Rectangular
  • Relationship to main tomb axis:

    Parallel
  • Chamber layout:

    Flat floor, no pillars
  • Floor:

    One level
  • Ceiling:

    Flat

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated

About

About

Wadi 1-b is located in Wadi 1, so named after the ‘1’ on Howard Carter’s survey map of the Western Wadis. It consists of a shaft entrance (A) leading down to an elongated, undecorated burial chamber (B). The owner of the tomb is unknown.

Although noted by Carter during his survey of the Western Wadis in 1916-1917, Wadi 1-b was first mapped and studied by Elizabeth Thomas in 1959-1960. Thomas records that the post-burial stone chips of the tomb lay intact nearby and that fragments of blue painted ware (pottery) typical of the reigns of Amenhetep III to Akhenaten lay scattered around the shaft for several meters. Fragments of red, ridged coptic ware were also apparent. The latter was unsurprising as several coptic dwelling remains were noted earlier in the wadi by both Howard Carter and Herbet Winlock. Wadi 1-b was last surveyed in 1982 by the Theban Mapping Project and has been dated to the 18th Dynasty.  

Noteworthy features:

Wadi 1-b is an 18th Dynasty shaft tomb with an unusually elongated burial chamber.

Site History

The tomb was constructed in the 18th Dynasty and emptied at a later, unknown period. Coptic materials have been noted near the tomb entrance.

Dating

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

New Kingdom
Dynasty 18
Byzantine (Coptic) Period

Exploration

1916-1917: Survey and Documentation
Carter, Howard
1959-1960: Survey and Documentation
Thomas, Elizabeth
1982: Mapping/planning
Theban Mapping Project

Conservation

Site Condition

Wadi 1-b is cut into conglomerate and the shaft entrance has a built dry wall on its northern side. The shaft entrance has eroded, as with other shaft tombs in the western wadis, and this may be due to water inflitration. The ceiling of the burial chamber has also suffered erosion.

Articles

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

Carter, Howard. A Tomb prepared from Queen Hatshepsut and other Recent Discoveries at Thebes. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 4 no. 2/3 (1917): 107-118.