Royal Mummies, Robbers & Caches

An online lecture by Dr Chris Naunton.
On 3 April 2021 the world watched the ‘Pharaohs’ Golden Parade’ in Cairo, Egypt. The bodies of the kings of the New Kingdom - the Royal Mummies - were being transferred from the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square in Cairo to their new home at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) where they will be the star attraction. Isn’t it incredible that the bodies of these famous pharaohs including Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, Sety I and Ramesses II have survived, and in such good condition…? How is it that we have the bodies of so many important people - kings, queens and others - of the 17th to 21st Dynasties, but hardly any from before or after that time? The answer is an incredible story of tombs, robbers, a country desperate for cash (in ancient times!), and two of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries ever made…
If you enjoy this video please hit the 'like' button, and subscribe to the channel. Thank you! 🙏
As a freelancer I rely on earnings from talks like this one. To support my work please consider hitting the 'Thanks' button, and if you'd like to more about how the pandemic helped bring me to this point please visit: chrisnaunton.com/support-my-w... Thanks again! 🙏
A guide to the other literature mentioned in the talk and further resources online is available here: chrisnaunton.com/royal-mummie...
I regularly give lectures online like this one, on a variety of themes connected with Egypt and the ancient world. For more info or to register for the next one please go to chrisnaunton.com/online-lectu... Hope to see you at the next talk!

[@candicebergstrom4490]

Thank you so much Dr Naunton for generously choosing to make your lectures available to everyone, for free. It's very much appreciated!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

My pleasure, lovely to know the talks are appreciated, thanks!

[@ttestates1]

As far as importance, this tomb is the greatest find in all archeology. Not as beautiful and Gold as Tutankhamun but is far more exciting

[@elizabethwagner-nl9wg]

At 62 I can only hope to get a chance to visit Egypt.🎉❤

[@barbaralucas1220]

This is wonderful!I hope to visit Egypt one day

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you Barbara, I hope you make it to Egypt!

[@allan9603]

@barbara, if you happen to run into a Professor Joanne Fletcher, make sure you keep your distance from her. She's known to give out false information concerning all things ancient Egypt, especially the 14th - 18th dynasties.

[@patriciatreslove4449]

Thank you again, as always I have really enjoyed your lecture, you can overrun for hours, I will not complain. Take care.

[@robertfraser9551]

Outstanding. What else may the brothers have found in previous decades. They obviously searched widely !!

[@Bpl541]

I watched The Night of Counting the Years. Very atmospheric and great cinematography. My Egyptian Arabic isn’t great but I could understand some and because I watched your lecture first I knew what was going on. I don’t think the story about the Abdul Rasuls and the huge cache of mummies is widely known. Thankyou for making yourlectures so interesting by including the detail. 🙏🦉

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thanks again for watching! It should be possible to find a version of the Night of Counting the Years with subtitles (although you may have to download the subtitles separately) - try here? archive.org/details/the.-night.of.-counting.the.-years.-1969.1080p.-cc.-webdl.-aac-2.0.x-264-skull

[@sokaikat674]

This was one of the best videos I've seen. I remember asking my mother where all these Royal mummies came from since I'd only heard of Tut and Ramess II. It was hard to find material in the library in the 60s. Since then I knew learned of the TT320 cache, but you have given me information I've found nowhere else. Thank you.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Lovely to know, thank you!

[@OVTraveller]

Chris, I read your book and enjoyed it immensely. Subsequently, my wife and I went on a tour of the Nile by ship from Cairo to Aswan, stopping at many of the main cemetery and tomb sites. Again, your insights in the book were extremely useful and added to an understanding of essence of the tombs. Now, many of your lectures continue to enrich my understanding of the Egyptian ancient saga. I hope that the discovery of some of the missing tombs will occur soon, preferably under the guidance of people like you rather than you know who?!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

This is lovely to read, many thanks Otto!

[@abousamah1967]

ما هو اسم الكتاب

[@ttestates1]

Dr. Naunton, I just found and purchased an original copy of The Royal Cache TT 320: a re-examination! I'm so psyched! I have all 5 of Forbes' books, but to own this is awesome. Learned about it from this lecture Thank you

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Wonderful! I have a copy myself, it's an important book!

[@atticus6572]

I've always been deadly fascinated with the funerary equipment of the 19th and 20th Dynasties - or the lack thereof. I wonder, I wonder, what the original coffins were like.

[@ttestates1]

John Romer's books The Valley of the Kings & Ancient Lives are amazing on the subject. There's a section in Ancient Lives regarding scribe Butehamun and the moving the Royal Mummies to Deir el-Bahari TT320 in 1000 bce

[@QuaaludeCharlie]

Wow Ramsses 3 was Wrapped up so pretty , I wish they had left him Wrapped . At least they took a photo , Hey Chris , Thank you for your Work on this , I'm Learning more and more .

[@ChristopherNaunton]

My pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@traveltucker6864]

Fantastic talk, Chris. Thank you so much - I'm staggered that there was so little formal recording of the discovery and clearance of the tomb. That must be particularly frustrating for archeologists like yourself.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Very frustrating! Although trying to piece the situation together again has made for lots of fascinating work since of course. Thanks for watching and for your kind comments, they are much appreciated!

[@MrHusang23]

Those giant coffins are awesome, I'd love to see them in person or have one for my own burial in the future🤠

[@JohnBrown-cn2qz]

Very interesting! Thanks. I found your lectures about a month ago, and now I am hooked on them and I can't wait for what's coming next. Last night, I watched this one about the royal caches and was reminded of another tomb (?) where you had to enter on the face of a cliff. Howard Carter found these guys that had let themselves down with a rope and were plundering the tomb and I think he threatened to cut there rope if they didn't leave. This morning I was looking on KZbin and saw a video, "Chaos and Kings", and this video is where I had first heard of Secenenre Tao, ten years ago. I remembered he was trying to expel the Hyksos from Egypt, and as the announcer said, "he paid the ultimate price". (gash in skull) Eventually, wasn't it his brothers, or his son who was successful in driving out the Hyksos and became Amose I ? I think that whole transitionary period from the 17th to the 18 Dynasty will be a great topic for one of your future lectures. I think you made a comment whether you will be able to go back to Egypt. I was there in December 2021, and went everywhere and had no problems.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Glad you enjoyed it John! The cliff tomb you mention was made for Hatshepsut before she became pharaoh. I discussed the discovery in my talk on Herihor last year: chrisnaunton.com/herihor-links-and-further-reading/ This is a favourite story of mine as is that of Seqenenre Tao - I helped make a documentary about him a few years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGGaeaiEoJeVqpY This would make a god subject for a talk, thanks for the suggestion!

[@ttestates1]

Chris, I just started reading 'The Lost Tombs of Egypt" fantastic! I can't believe Hawass published a book a year later with almost the same exact name! BTW, this is my 9th time watched this! 52:57

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Wow, thanks for reading and thanks for watching so many times!

[@starwalker3488]

Another brilliant and informative lecture, thank you for making it available. I'd never thought of the current displays of the Royal Mummies as essentially being a modern equivalent of the ancient caches.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@por1821]

Fabulous! New video from Chris - Life Cannot Get Any Better! 😊

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Awww, thanks!

[@ellaclaires]

Very fascinating lecture! Full of various interesting details. Thank you so much for making this available online for free! I watched the livestream of the ceremony/parade when they moved the royal mummies, definitely one of the greatest show I've ever seen. So surreal and truly amazing👍

[@ChristopherNaunton]

My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

@Janitor Queen My understanding is that the convention - a quirk of written English - is that it should be 'an historic', but don't ask me why...!

[@TheDejael]

Thank you for your astute and interesting lecture on the wealth of knowledge on ancient Egypt.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

My pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@TheDejael]

I give you the ancient Egyptian blessing: "Ankh! Djes! Seneb!" ("Life! Strength! Health!")

[@ChristopherNaunton]

And to you!@@TheDejael

[@traditionalgirl5585]

Thank you! Subscribed, and I look forward to more talks...

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Brilliant, thank you!

[@IrinaAlexander1]

Before this lecture I was under the impression that Brugsch was in heaven. After this lecture I am sure he is in purgatory, but more likely in hell at the lowest floor.

[@CmacKw]

Excellent presentation of the context.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you!

[@neildevers8952]

Thanks Chris - very interesting and informative - will look forward to your next

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thanks Neil, more coming soon!

[@Humpyday]

Hi Chris. I hope you find this chat. I wonder where I can find you and your videos. I miss your work.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

You've found me! But there is more here: chrisnaunton.com/online-lectures/ Thanks for your interest in my work!

[@Humpyday]

@@ChristopherNaunton Thank you for this important update. I have missed watching you. Thank you for doing what you do. I also love Egypt.

[@robinburke2036]

Incredibly informative and highly enjoyable! Thank you!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!

[@lucwidmer6294]

Thanks

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you, very generous of you!

[@brittanymesserlie34]

Yay! A new one!

[@Thestephouse1]

Yay! Thank you!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

My pleasure! More to follow :)

[@lollijade4839]

Your videos are always so highly anticipated! 🖤

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Great to know, thanks!

[@ttestates1]

105:00 The beautiful inscription on Rameses III wrappings looks like Scribe Butehamun?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Yes Butehmaun is mentioned as one of three who restored the mummy - good spot!

[@KarimDeLakarim]

Cool man.

[@por1821]

What are the odds of another un-disturbed Pharoah's tomb out there? I believe there at least 50 Pharoah's tombs missing so chances must be better than even?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Well, the most likely locations have all been scoured quite comprehensively now but it's now impossible... My Lost Tombs book is all about the possibilities... ('scuse the plug!): chrisnaunton.com/searching-for-the-lost-tombs-of-egypt/

[@ChristopherNaunton]

@Janitor Queen Thanks, it's great to know that my replies are appreciated! I can't always get to everything but I do try, and I enjoy the interaction of course - it's all about the debate!

[@rorycassidy7740]

Very interesting lecture and some fascinating points covered and raised, I really enjoy your work, keep it up! Your doing a great job

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thanks Rory!

[@MohamedAtef88]

Great lecture 👏🏼

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you!

[@Leeside999]

Great lecture. Very interesting, thanks. Do you believe it is possible that the pharaoh mummies from the old kingdom like khufu and khafre may have also been reburied? What a find that would be!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thanks! What makes the story of the New Kingdom royal mummies so fascinating is that we have so many different types of evidence for what happened - not just the caches themselves but the tomb inspection marks, tomb robbery papyri and Late Ramesside Letters to explain why the caches came about. There is nothing to suggest that anything simialr happened in the Old Kingdom so, sadly, no, I suspect that the OK kings' bodies were simply riffled by robbers and were ultimately destroyed.

[@bdhaliwal24]

Thanks!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you!

[@freddruer5250]

I've always wondered if the mummified body of the Pharaoh Ramesses 1 was found in this royal cache by the Rassoul family and sold to Sydney Barnett, thus Ramesses 1 ended up being in Niagara Falls

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Yes, my understanding is that although the identification of the mummy formerly in Niagara as Ramesses I has been disputed, it can be traced back to the Abder Rassoul family at a time when they are thought already to have discovered the Royal Cache. Ramesses I's body was not among those recovered from TT 320 by Brugsch and Kamal but his coffins were present, suggesting the mummy had been there too at some point, presumably removed by the Abder Rassouls when a request came through for a mummy to be sold to a tourist.

[@tembry6886]

I thought it might've been proof of "state sanctioned" grave robbing. Why not? If the burials were so lavish why not take and rework objects for the nest Pharaoh? Does any country have that much gold?

[@melissas8507]

You are my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE CHANNEL!!!! Question - the tours - I'm in USA & have sent emails asking if Americans can join the tours but never got a response - is it possible? Or only available if you're in UK? I'd LOVE to join one of your tours!!!!!!!!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Glad you're enjoying the channel, great to know, thanks! You would be very welcome to join one of my tours and indeed we're often joined by people from the US, Canada and from lots of other countries - in other words it doesn't matter where you come from and Ancient World Tours would help get you to Egypt to join the group wherever you're starting from. I'm very sorry - and surprised! - to hear that you had no reply to your messages. I would suggest contacting AWT directly: www.ancient.co.uk/about-ancient-world-tours/contact-ancient-world-tours/ I hope to see you in Egypt!

[@melissas8507]

@@ChristopherNaunton oh you'll DEFINITELY see me!! Thanks!!

[@Richard47484]

I notice that the mummy of Ramses XI is missing. Since he wasn’t buried in the VoK, any thoughts on where he might have been interred? Presumably somewhere in Lower Egypt?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Yes, that seems most likely given that Ramesses XIth's authority would have been confined to northern Egypt by the time of his death, with the Theban region in the control of the Chief Priest of Amun. More on this in my talk on one of those chief priests, Herihor: chrisnaunton.com/herihor-links-and-further-reading/

[@atticus6572]

Chris, who are your top three favourite pharaohs?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Hmm, good question! I'm not sure I really have favourites but if I could travel back in time and see any of them in action I would choose... Narmer, Akhenaten, and Piye. But I would perhaps rather choose others who weren't pharaoh...!

[@nemiviveros5721]

@@ChristopherNaunton Akhenaten is quite a character indeed!!! Nevertheless in recent times he's been quite romanticized. The Amarnia period is the one that interests and fascinates me the most, especially its art

[@LSOP-]

[@ChristopherNaunton]

I have more queued up :)

[@vanessajansen3090]

So insightful. Thank you. Agree that mummy's appear so much more peaceful/respectful wrapped rather than not. Get how mummy pop culture started. Sad these dignified historic figures get such a bad rep. When I tomd my son scarab was a dung beetle he couldn't believe that a movie made him so scared about dung beetles lol.

[@WalsallHypnotherapy]

What are the chances that any of the unidentified Mummies are from the Armana period

[@ChristopherNaunton]

The unidentified ones from TT 320? The best approach would probably be to look at the techniques of mummification used in those cases adn as far as I'm aware this doesn't lead to the conclusion that any of them are from the Amarna Period. The mummies from KV 21 and KV 55 however - very possibly!

[@ltiana]

Takk!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Thank you so much!

[@ltiana]

@@ChristopherNaunton You are welcome! Please keep exceeding the time in all future lectures too :)

[@ChristopherNaunton]

@@ltiana Ha ha, thank you! I gave talks online yesterday and this morning and, again, I overran both times... It looks like I am unable to stop doing it! Thank you again for your support!

[@ChristopherNaunton]

@Janitor Queen Very nice to hear, thanks!

[@weilandiv8310]

Just canceled my plans for this evening. Sorry NetFlux

[@ChristopherNaunton]

Ha ha, thanks! Hope you enjoy it :)

[@abousamah1967]

اشكرك كثيرا على هذا المجهود والبحث الرائع انا لااصدق رواية اكتشاف المقبره بواسطة سقوط عنزة لعائلة عبدالرسول واعتقد ان الخبيئه كانت مغلقه ولم تكن مفتوحه والا كان وجدوها الاوائل وكانت الامطار قد افسدت محتوياتها ماهي الروايه الحقيقيه لاكتشاف المقبره

[@airemaile]

Why did the mummies not get totally ruined? Were the priests doing the tomb robbing?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

I endeavour to provide an explanation of sorts - try skipping ahead to 1:20:57.

[@ttestates1]

This cache was done by Royal Scribe Butehamon around 1000bc Because all the tombs were robbed PS. You talked about this, thanks

[@ChristopherNaunton]

If you watch the video you'll see the situation may have been a little more complex than this! The mummies were moved often more than once over the course of several decades, and may have been prompted in part by robberies but also by other factors. Butehamun was involved, perhaps more so than any other single individual, but not throughout, and with others as well.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

@@ricksmith1673 If you watch from around 1:25:38 you'll see I discuss this idea in the talk!

[@bibia666]

😟 "I don't want to talk about the mummies themselves".....(Chris N. sais @1:06,50) That was the opposite of what I wanted to hear.... Don't get me wrong.., I still gave a like and I'm still grateful to Chris N. that he gave this lecture..... But I would have liked to hear about the mummies and their lives BEFORE they were found.... I've been thinking that most of the "robbing" of the valley of the kings, pyramids and other less famous mummies / sites had been done in ancient times since I first heard about it.. (besides the point but, its nice to hear other more knowledgeable people agreeing)... The modern world had to content with the scraps, with only a few exceptions (tut, maiherpi and pseusenis etc.) the more modern the find the more plundered it is (logically!!!) Greetings bibia.

[@youmnakashk4318]

what's the skin colour of ancient Egyptian?

[@ChristopherNaunton]

As with people from anywhere, it varied.

[@marcLeveille6056]

J'aime beaucoup vos vidéos. Mais j'aime moins les bruits de bouche récurants. Merci.

[@phillipmaxwell5060]

But your a lot cuter!!!!!!

[@elizabethwagner-nl9wg]

Oh come now, everyone has a “theory “.

[@phillipmaxwell5060]

The red Haired lady makes much more envolving presentation than you do, she has a lot more passion.

[@radman1136]

You spend an awfully lot of time in the first twenty minutes attempting to delineate the moral lines distinguishing the difference between grave robbers, archeologists, and the Egyptian Bureau of Antiquities. At the end of the day the lot of you are desecrating graves for profit. I fail to discern a difference between any of the three excepting their manners. While we're discussing morals, you brought the subject up, give the Egyptians back their shit. Whatever else might be true, you know damn well that it doesn't belong to you.

[@ChristopherNaunton]

It goes without saying that none of the ancient material discussed in this presentation belongs to me, but moreover the majority of it remains in Egypt... 😉