Catacombs contain more than 50 mummies of Egyptian royalty

Discovered by a stray goat, a grave on the cliff in Thebes, Egypt, which is home to dozens of pharaoh's mummies, queens and princesses from many dynasties.

DB320 is a tomb located on the cliffs in Thebes discovered in the summer of 1881, containing mummies and burial clothes of more than 50 kings and queens and many princes and nobles. According to Ancient Origins, this tomb was found by a stray goat and fell to the grave road.

Previously, scientists thought DB320 was the grave of Queen Ahmose-Inhapi. However, a recent study found her grave somewhere else nearby. One theory is that DB320 is the grave of Ahmose Merytamen. According to Nicholas Reeves, Egyptian researcher from the University of Arizona, USA, DB320 is the family tomb of Pinedjem II, the highest priesthood under the 21st dynasty.

Pottery pots found in the tomb of DB320.(Photo: Wikimedia Commons).

Egyptians learned to gain information about kings and queens by analyzing mummies discovered in the tomb of DB320. The mummy found here is divided into two groups. The first group dates back to the second medieval period (1550 - 1650 BC) and the New Kingdom (1077 - 1550 BC), was buried in a negligent manner and many of them were damaged . The second group dates from the third intermediate period (664 - 1069 BC) and is more thoughtfully buried.

The list of mummies in the crypt includes not only emperors: Amosis, Ramesses I, Ramsses II, Ramesses III, Ramesses IX, Seti I, Tuthmosis I, Tuthmosis II, Tuthmosis III but also great queens like Tetisheri , Ahhotpe I, Ahmose-Merytamun, Ahmose-Inhapy, and even the princesses.

Most mummies were buried elsewhere before, but in the third intermediate period, estimated after the 11th year of the 22nd dynasty, priests decided to move them to safer places. When the researchers unearthed the tomb, the mummies of the second group were carefully preserved, occupying the entire last chamber and there was no sign of robbery. Meanwhile, the other coffins were placed in crowded corridors and chambers next to the tomb.