Tomb DB320
| Theban tomb TT320 | |||
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| Burial site of Royal cache | |||
 TT320
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| Coordinates | 25°44′12.48″N 32°36′18.13″E / 25.7368000°N 32.6050361°ECoordinates: 25°44′12.48″N 32°36′18.13″E / 25.7368000°N 32.6050361°E | ||
| Location | Deir el-Bahari, Theban Necropolis | ||
| Discovered | 1881 (Officially) | ||
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Tomb DB320 (now usually referred to as TT320) is located next to Deir el-Bahri, in the Theban Necropolis, opposite modern Luxor, and was found to contain an extraordinary cache of mummified remains and funeral equipment of more than 50 kings, queens, royalty and various nobility.
TT 320 is an unfinished tomb located in the Theban plateau just south of Deir al-Bahari. It was used as a cache for royal mummies during the Twenty-first Dynasty. Each mummy entombed at TT 320 had its own tomb but pillaging of their tombs, lead to these royal mummies being moved here to protect them. During Ramesses IX’s reign, he had teams that went out and inspected the tombs of pharaohs. If it were discovered that repairs to the tomb or the mummy were needed, arrangements would be made to make the necessary repairs. The tombs that were inspected were found untouched at that time. During Herihor’s reign some tombs and mummies were in need of what they called “renewing the burial places”. The tombs of Ramesses I, Sety I, and Ramesses II required “renewing”. 1 Each coffin found in TT 320 had dockets on them stating when they were moved and where they were reburied. The mummies were moved when it was discovered that their tombs had been plundered. Some of the mummies were moved multiple times before they were placed in TT 320.
The tomb is thought to have initially been the last resting place of High Priest of Amun Pinedjem II, his wife Nesikhons and other close family members. Pinudjem II died around 969 BC in a time of decline of the Egyptian kingdom. In this time the mummies from former dynasties were vulnerable to grave robbery and were moved here to protect the remains of these royal personages. It is believed that this tomb initially belonged to an Eighteenth dynasty queen who was found buried here. However, mummies were cached here in the Twenty-first Dynasty and the Eighteenth Dynasty queen was found at or near the entrance of TT 320 suggesting that she was placed in this tomb last. This would suggest that this was not her tomb. If this was her tomb she would have been placed at the far, or back, side of the tomb.2 When the last of the mummies were placed in TT 320, it seemed that the opening was naturally covered with sand and possibly other debris such as rocks rendering it difficult to find. The first documented case of someone finding this tomb was in 1881. It is possible that this tomb was discovered prior to 1881 but there is no documentation indicating that it was found prior to this.
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