Development of Royal Tomb Architecture in the Valley of the Kings (c. 1550–1069 BCE)

1. Earliest royal tomb cut at KV20

   Jan 1, 1506 BCELabels: KV20, Thutmose I, Hatshepsut

   • TMP KV20
   • KV20

2. KV20 expanded and reused for Hatshepsut

   Jan 1, 1473 BCELabels: KV20, Hatshepsut, Thutmose I

   • KV20
   • TMP KV20

3. Thutmose I reburied in KV38

   Jan 1, 1450 BCELabels: KV38, Thutmose I, Thutmose III

   • TMP KV38
   • KV38

4. KV34 introduces cartouche-shaped burial chamber

   Jan 1, 1425 BCELabels: KV34, Thutmose III, cartouche chamber

   • TMP KV34
   • KV34

5. Amduat appears prominently in royal tomb decoration

   Jan 1, 1425 BCELabels: Amduat, KV34, Funerary texts

   • TMP KV34
   • KV34

6. KV35 develops a standard later burial chamber form

   Jan 1, 1400 BCELabels: KV35, Amenhotep II, Pillared chamber

   • KV35
   • TMP KV35

7. KV62 shows a compressed plan for Tutankhamun

   Jan 1, 1323 BCELabels: KV62, Tutankhamun, Compressed plan

   • TMP KV62
   • TMP Tutankhamun

8. KV57 marks transition toward straighter axes

   Jan 1, 1310 BCELabels: KV57, Horemheb, Axis transition

   • TMP KV57
   • KV57

9. Book of Gates first appears in KV57

   Jan 1, 1310 BCELabels: KV57, Book of, Funerary texts

   • TMP KV57
   • KV57

10. KV16 exemplifies early 19th Dynasty straight-axis plan

    Jan 1, 1292 BCELabels: KV16, Ramesses I, Straight-axis

    • TMP KV16
    • KV16

11. KV17 (Seti I) expands depth and decorative complexity

    Jan 1, 1279 BCELabels: KV17, Seti I, Decorative program

    • KV17
    • TMP KV17

12. KV7 places a king’s tomb low in the central wadi

    Jan 1, 1213 BCELabels: KV7, Ramesses II, Central wadi

    • TMP KV7
    • KV7

13. KV14 built in phases then taken over by Setnakhte

    Jan 1, 1189 BCELabels: KV14, Twosret, Setnakhte

    • TMP KV14
    • KV14

14. KV35 reused as a royal mummy cache

    Jan 1, 1050 BCELabels: KV35, Royal cache, Third Intermediate

    • KV35
    • NatGeo KV35