Mummy of the Royal Architect Kha

The mummy of the royal architect Kha who was the overseer of works from Deir el-Medina in the mid-18th Dynasty. It was one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of ancient Egypt, one of few tombs of nobility to survive intact.

After the discovery of the tomb of Kha by the Italian archaeologists, the Egyptian authorities insisted only on a small part of Kha’s finds so that a bronze lamp and its tall wooden support, breads, blocks of salt and 19 terracotta vases were retained by Egypt; all the rest of more than 500 items was granted to Italy and now in the Egyptian Museum of Turin.

The Theban Tomb (TT8) is considered to be the best surviving furnished, non royal tomb from ancient Egypt. Kha was architect of the King Amenhotep II of the 18th Dynasty and responsible for building projects not just in the reign of Amenhotep II, but also in the reign of 3 or 4 kings: Thutmose III, Amenhotep II, Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III. The intact tomb was discovered by Egyptologist Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1906.

Read more: Book of the Dead of Kha

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reigns of Amenhotep II, Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III ca. 1425-1353 BC. Schiaparelli excavations (1906). From the Tomb of Kha (TT8), Deir el-Medina, West Thebes. Organic remains, linen. Now in the Egyptian Museum of Turin. S. 8316