It is a well-preserved non-royal burial in the Valley of the Kings belonging to Yuya and Thuya, the parents of Queen Tiye and grandparents of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Discovered virtually intact by James E. Quibell and Theodore M. Davis in 1905 CE, its single-chamber layout yielded an exceptionally rich funerary assemblage that included the couple’s nested wooden coffins, gilded masks, chariots, furniture, jewelry, canopic jars, and the remarkably well-preserved mummies themselves. Though modest in architecture, the tomb provides a vivid, unparalleled insight into elite Eighteenth Dynasty burial customs, craftsmanship, and the high status of those who served at the heart of Egypt’s royal household.

circa 1400 BCE

Antiquity
Yuya and Thuya were ancient Egyptian nobles who lived during the mid–Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom. Originally from Akhmim, they held offices closely associated with the cult of Min, which secured them a prominent social standing. Despite not belonging to the royal family themselves, their lineage proved significant: their daughter Tiye became the chief wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, making Yuya and Thuya direct ancestors of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Following their deaths, they were interred in a private-style tomb excavated into the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings — a prestigious necropolis reserved for pharaohs and elite figures.

The tomb did not remain intact for long after its closure. It was plundered at least three times in antiquity, most probably beginning shortly after its sealing. Early robbers selectively took items that were light and valuable, especially oils and linen that could be easily sold. Two later disturbances, linked to nearby tomb excavations during the reigns of Ramesses IX and other New Kingdom pharaohs, stripped the burial of most jewellery and fine textiles. After these intrusions, there is evidence that someone carefully reorganized the contents — covering Thuya's body with a shroud and refilling some boxes — suggesting that tomb officials or local workers attempted a partial restoration before resealing the damaged entrance.

Modern Period
The tomb of Yuya and Thuya (KV46) was discovered on 5 February 1905 by James E. Quibell under the sponsorship of Theodore M. Davis, a wealthy American who had funded several successful excavation campaigns in the Valley of the Kings. Prior to this discovery, Davis and his team had already located other important tombs in the vicinity — most notably those of Thutmose IV (KV43) and Hatshepsut (KV20) — suggesting that this sector of the valley still held significant promise. Excavations had resumed on 17 December 1904 in a narrow strip of debris between the tombs KV3 and KV4, a spot that had been overlooked for decades due to its unpromising appearance as a barren heap of limestone chips.

As work progressed into February 1905, Quibell’s foremen uncovered a flight of steep steps leading to a blocked and sealed doorway. On 13 February, Quibell and Davis, accompanied by Gaston Maspero and the newly appointed Chief Inspector of Antiquities Arthur Weigall, carefully removed the mud-plastered seal and entered the tomb. Initial torchlight revealed only faint glimmers of gold, so they quickly retreated to prepare proper lighting before proceeding further. Once illuminated by electric lamps, the extent of the untouched funerary assemblage was revealed: sarcophagi, beds, chariot parts, furniture, vessels, and the remarkably preserved mummies of Yuya and Thuya, each still lying in their disturbed coffins.

Over the next few weeks, the team systematically documented the contents under challenging conditions, balancing scholarly priorities with the need for security. Photographs were taken and every object was logged before the painstaking process of packing began. By 3 March 1905, the contents were ready for transport across the Nile, loaded onto a train, and dispatched under armed guard to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This careful clearance set a new standard for archaeological practice in Egypt and is often seen as a precursor to the meticulous work carried out by Howard Carter when he uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamun nearly two decades later.

circa 1400 BCE

Entryway A
Entryway A is 3.88 meters long and 1.74 meters wide, comprising a flight of fifteen undecorated steps that descend at an angle of approximately 46°. This staircase gives access to a sloping section of the passage known as "Corridor B".

circa 1400 BCE

Corridor B
Corridor B extends for 7.76 meters and retains the same width (1.76 m) and height (2.05 m) as the preceding entryway. The corridor slopes downward at an approximate incline of 19°. Its walls bear regularly spaced painted dots at 40 cm intervals, arranged in a grid-like pattern. These markings may have served as mason’s guides during the tomb’s construction.

circa 1400 BCE

Stairwell C
Stairwell C is 3.42 meters long, 1.68 meters wide, and 4.52 meters high, descending at an incline of approximately 40°. The side walls feature painted dots spaced at 40 cm intervals, similar to those observed in Corridor B. A rectangular niche measuring approximately 0.55 meters in depth is cut into each of the side walls.

circa 1400 BCE

Burial Chamber J
Burial Chamber J measures 10 meters in length, 3.2 meters in width, and 2.3 meters in height. The western third of the chamber is approximately 1 meters deeper than the remainder of the floor. The ceiling was left unfinished and the walls, although bearing the same painted spacing dots observed elsewhere in the tomb, were never smoothed or fully prepared for decoration, most likely due to the poor quality of the limestone bedrock. The chamber contained a substantial assemblage of funerary equipment, including the sarcophagi of Yuya and Thuya and their canopic chests, along with other grave goods.

circa 1400 BCE

Sarcophagus of Thuya
Thuya’s outer sarcophagus is a substantial rectangular coffin carved from black-painted wood, inlaid with fine gilded inscriptions and protective deities. Its surfaces bear elegant bands of hieroglyphs invoking divine guardianship and eternal rebirth, while its overall restrained design reflects the refined artistry of the Eighteenth Dynasty elite. Found in situ within KV46, this outer container encased her anthropoid coffin and mummy, serving as a formidable protective shell for her journey into the afterlife.

circa 1400 BCE

Sarcophagus of Yuya
Yuya’s outer sarcophagus, like that of his wife Thuya, is a robust black-painted wooden box adorned with gilded inscriptions and motifs of deities offering safety and regeneration. Its clean lines and measured decoration highlight the high status of its owner and the craftsmanship of the royal workshops. Resting alongside Thuya’s coffin in KV46, this outer coffin preserved Yuya’s inner coffin and mummy, completing the multilayered funerary ensemble designed to endure for eternity.

circa 1400 BCE

Thuya's Canopic Jars and the Chest
Thuya’s canopic set consists of four alabaster jars with human-headed stoppers representing her own likeness, each jar dedicated to one of the Four Sons of Horus to protect her embalmed viscera. These were housed in a wooden canopic chest, painted and gilded with funerary texts and protective goddesses, ensuring proper ritual containment. Together, they reflect the Eighteenth Dynasty emphasis on meticulous preservation of the deceased and the divine safeguarding of the organs vital for rebirth.

circa 1400 BCE

Dummy Stone Vases
The dummy stone vases from KV46 are a group of small, finely worked vessels of alabaster and other stones that were not intended for practical use. They imitate functional containers but remain solid or partially hollowed as symbolic offerings, signifying abundance and eternal sustenance for Yuya and Thuya. Their presence underscores the Egyptian practice of placing ritual and representative objects in tombs to perpetuate the provisioning of the deceased in the afterlife.

circa 1400 BCE

Throne of Princess Sitamun
The throne of princess Sitamun is an exquisitely crafted wooden chair covered with gilded gesso and inlaid with vivid faience and glass decoration, commissioned during the reign of her father, Amenhotep III. Its panels depict the princess attended by servants and surrounded by protective motifs of lotus and papyrus, celebrating her royal lineage and elite status. This elegant seat exemplifies the luxury and artistry of the Amarna court and provides insight into the personal identity and household of one of Egypt’s prominent royal daughters.