wall and the rock ceiling, Mr. Maspero and Mr. Davis were soon in the midst of such a medley of tomb furniture that, in the glare of their lighted candles, the first effect was one of bewilderment. Gradually, however, one object after another detached itself from the shimmering mass, shining through the cool air, dust-free and golden… Henry Copley Greene describing the entry into the tomb.

It was the most famous tomb prior to the discovery of that of Tutankhamun due to the large volume of well-preserved funerary equipment. However, the tomb was robbed three times during its history, once shortly after the burial as indicated by the absence of perishable goods such as oils. The second and third robberies may have taken place during the excavations of KV3and KV4. Debris from these tombs blocked the entry of KV46 keeping it safe until its discovery in 1905.

Despite the robberies, many treasures remained in the tomb including the beautiful mummy masks of Yuya and Tjuyu, a beautiful chest of inlaid wood and faience (below), and a carved chair gifted to the couple by Sitamun, a daughter of Amenhotep III (above). This chair was used by the Empress Eugenie who visited Egypt for the opening of the Suez Canal.



The conditions inside the tomb ensured that the silver items remained shiny until their discovery. Vessels contained honey which retained its scent even after thousands of years! However, one of the most amazing discoveries inside the tomb was a completely intact chariot (below).

The mummies were found inside their original coffins,