QV 66 — Tomb of Nefertari

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Tomb

Dynasty 19 · Reign of Ramesses II

Valley of the Queens, Western Thebes

Owner: Nefertari, Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II

Excavated by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904.

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall showing a falcon-headed figure with a staff leading a woman in a pleated gown by the hand. Partial figures and hieroglyphs lie at the left and right edges, and the print is marked with spots and faint rings.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 63 of 227 (1904–1935) — south wall of the vestibule

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Images

Facsimile painting of a seated woman in a white pleated gown, broad collar and crown, reaching toward a red game board with dark and pale pieces on a stand. Hieroglyphs and a cartouche fill the yellow wall behind her, framed by a green and red pavilion border.

Queen Nefertari Playing Senet MET DT11770

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted tomb chamber wall. A frieze of animals, birds and figures runs above columns of hieroglyphs, with niches of panelled doors below and fallen rubble in the foreground.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 22 of 227 (1904) — antechamber west wall

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of part of a painted tomb wall. A seated woman in a small shrine, a bird on a stand and a kneeling woman with raised hands are above columns of hieroglyphs, with a tall ankh and painted pillar-like forms below.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 10 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of a painted wall. A woman in profile with a tall crown holds a staff over a pile of offerings on a stand, beneath columns of hieroglyphs and a cartouche.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 113 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, offerings

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall showing a standing woman in a long dark dress with a feather on her head on the left, and a kneeling woman beside a reclining black jackal-headed animal above her. Hieroglyphic columns fill the spaces between them.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 116 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of a painted wall. A woman in profile in a pleated white gown and broad collar holds up two round pots in her open hands over a pile of offerings, with columns of hieroglyphs above.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 118 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of a painted wall. A winged female figure in profile spreads her feathered arms and wings beside a cartouche, with hieroglyphs above.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 119 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted tomb wall. A seated woman in a small shrine, a bird on a stand and a kneeling woman with raised hands are above columns of hieroglyphs. A stone block and moulded edge are visible at the lower right.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 12 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted panel showing a standing woman in profile with a tall double-plumed crown and long pleated gown, hands raised before columns of hieroglyphs and two cartouches. A scalloped border runs along the top and a photographer's label is visible at the corner.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 161 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, adoration

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall showing a standing woman in profile with a tall double-plumed crown and long pleated gown, hands raised toward columns of hieroglyphs and two cartouches. A scalloped border runs along the top.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 162 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, adoration

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall. Two standing figures walk to the left, one with an animal head and horns and one with a human head and an ankh in his hand, beside many columns of hieroglyphs. Plaster has flaked away across part of the writing.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 176 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, guardians

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall. Three standing figures in kilts, two with animal heads and horns and one with a human head, walk to the left holding knives and arrows, beside columns of hieroglyphs. Patches of plaster loss cover parts of the figures.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 187 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, guardians

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a tomb wall. A frieze of seated and standing figures, bird- and animal-headed figures, a bull and a pavilion runs above many columns of hieroglyphs. A striped cornice and niches with writing appear in the lower part.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 36 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber north wall

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a small chamber with two seated figures on painted thrones on either side of a doorway, a winged vulture above the door, and a hieroglyphic text around them. One figure at the right has a bird head and a sun disc with a snake; a woman stands beside him.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 66 of 227 (1904–1935) — vestibule and annex

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of a painted wall showing a woman in profile with a tall double-plumed crown and raised hands beside a cartouche, next to a second figure wearing a bowl-shaped headdress on a white cap with her arm outstretched.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 93 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, wall detail

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of a woman in profile with a tall double-plumed crown, sun disc and wig, raising both hands beside a cartouche and columns of hieroglyphs, wearing a broad collar and pleated white gown.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 96 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, detail of the queen

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall in three registers. Two upper registers show four cattle each, mixed white, spotted and dark, with a small stand beside each and hieroglyphs above. The lowest register shows four long steering oars with hieroglyphs.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 99 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, cows and bull

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted tomb wall. A seated woman in a small shrine, a bird on a stand and a kneeling woman with raised hands are above columns of hieroglyphs, with a tall ankh and painted forms below and a stone edge at the lower right.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 9 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of the corner of a dim painted chamber. A frieze with a heron, a falcon and a bier lies above hieroglyphic columns, with a striped cornice, panelled niches and a rough floor below.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 20 of 227 (1914–1935) — antechamber, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of a dim painted corner under a star-patterned ceiling. A doorway with a snake frieze at the left, a jackal-headed figure and seated figure on the wall beside it, and a tall standing figure at the right.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 49 of 227 (1914–1935) — antechamber corner, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of a painted wall corner. Rows of cattle with hieroglyphs fill the left wall, and on the right wall a woman in a tall crown raises both hands beside a cartouche.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 94 of 227 (1914–1935) — alcove corner, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of a painted wall corner. A woman in a tall crown reaches out over a pile of offerings on the left wall, while rows of cattle and long oars appear on the adjoining wall.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 98 of 227 (1914–1935) — alcove corner, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Sepia photograph of a painted wall strip under a dark cornice. Standing figures with animal and human heads flank a large domed pavilion with plank-like panels, and a falcon-headed figure stands at the right. Paint loss covers much of the centre.

Tomb of Nefertari, antechamber north wall, upper register

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Colour painting of a woman in profile with a tall golden double-plumed crown with a red disc, a broad collar and a white pleated gown, both hands raised in front of a gold cartouche and hieroglyphs.

Nefertari in adoration

Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Public domain · Source

Colour photograph of painted tomb walls under warm light. A tall standing figure in a white crown and wrapped garment holds a crook and flail on a yellow panel, a woman in a long red dress faces a seated falcon- or beetle-headed figure on a throne at the right, and a wooden rail runs along the bottom left.

Osiris, Khepri and Nefertari in her tomb

Darer101, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source Resized from the original.

Black-and-white photograph looking down into a narrow rock-cut stairwell toward a dark doorway. A band of painted decoration with streaks of dark staining is visible above the opening.

Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 4 of 227 (1904) — entrance stair

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of a man in a robe and turban standing at a steep passage in front of a dark door, with a rectangular wall plaque with Italian text above it.

Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 8 of 227 (1904–1914) — entrance door, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white stereoscopic photograph pair of a brick-vaulted entrance in a rocky hillside, with men in hats and fezzes and robes standing around a small engine, buckets and a basket in the foreground.

Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 6 of 227 (1904–1935) — entrance, stereo view

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a brick vault with an arched opening and low brick walls on a rubble slope, with a large jar at the left and two dark bundles on the ground in front.

Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 7 of 227 (1904–1935) — entrance

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a hand-drawn plan and longitudinal section of a tomb. The plan labelled in Italian shows a stair, rooms numbered I to VI and a large pillared hall; the section below shows the sloping passage.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 2 of 227 (1904) — plan and section

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a painted wall panel. A human-headed bird stands on a stand at the left and a kneeling woman in a pleated gown raises both hands toward columns of hieroglyphs at the right.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 17 of 227 (1904–1935) — detail of scene 2

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white photograph of a rough earth or rubble surface with a small exposed patch of painted plaster showing an ankh sign, a few feathers of a crown and part of a hieroglyph.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 227 of 227 (1904–1935) — wall fragment

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Black-and-white close-up photograph of the head and shoulders of a woman in profile wearing a tall plumed crown with a disc, a long wig, earrings and a broad collar, with a cartouche and hieroglyphs behind her. A diagonal crack crosses the print.

Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 77 of 227 (1904–1935) — vestibule, detail of the queen

Archivio fotografico, Museo Egizio, Turin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). CC0 1.0 · Source

Texts from this monument

No inscriptions from this monument are recorded yet.

Contribute an inscription

Sources

  1. [1] Porter, Bertha, and Rosalind L. B. Moss. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. Vol. I: The Theban Necropolis, Part 2: Royal Tombs and Smaller Cemeteries. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964. — QV 66
  2. [2] McDonald, John K. House of Eternity: The Tomb of Nefertari. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum and Getty Conservation Institute, 1996.
  3. [3] Theban Mapping Project. Database of the tombs of the Theban Necropolis. — QV 66
Suggest a source

History

  1. Direct edit

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 63 of 227 (1904–1935) — south wall of the vestibule

    Image added: Queen Nefertari Playing Senet MET DT11770

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 22 of 227 (1904) — antechamber west wall

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 10 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 113 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, offerings

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 116 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 118 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 119 of 227 (1904–1935) — descending corridor

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 12 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 161 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, adoration

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 162 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, adoration

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 176 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, guardians

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 187 of 227 (1904–1935) — burial chamber, guardians

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 36 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber north wall

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 66 of 227 (1904–1935) — vestibule and annex

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 93 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, wall detail

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 96 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, detail of the queen

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 99 of 227 (1904–1935) — alcove, cows and bull

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 9 of 227 (1904–1935) — antechamber

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 20 of 227 (1914–1935) — antechamber, stereo view

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 49 of 227 (1914–1935) — antechamber corner, stereo view

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 94 of 227 (1914–1935) — alcove corner, stereo view

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 98 of 227 (1914–1935) — alcove corner, stereo view

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, antechamber north wall, upper register

    Image added: Nefertari in adoration

    Image added: Osiris, Khepri and Nefertari in her tomb

    Image added: Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 4 of 227 (1904) — entrance stair

    Image added: Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 8 of 227 (1904–1914) — entrance door, stereo view

    Image added: Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 6 of 227 (1904–1935) — entrance, stereo view

    Image added: Schiaparelli excavation, Tomb of Nefertari, photo 7 of 227 (1904–1935) — entrance

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 2 of 227 (1904) — plan and section

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 17 of 227 (1904–1935) — detail of scene 2

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 227 of 227 (1904–1935) — wall fragment

    Image added: Tomb of Nefertari, excavation archive, photo 77 of 227 (1904–1935) — vestibule, detail of the queen

    Edited by Archive maintainers