The Ramsesnakht dynasty and the fall of the New Kingdom: A new monument in Thebes

From 1993-96, the joint archaeological project of the German Institute of Archaeology, Cairo (DAI) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) partially excavated a large tomb in the hillside of Dra' Abu el-Naga on the Theban West Bank. The architecture, archaeological record, and objects found thus far indicate that the tomb had at least two major construction and use phases. The original construction of the tomb probably dates back to the late 17th or early 18th dynasties. The second phase includes an extensive remodeling of the complex and can be attributed to a high official of the late 20th dynasty, the Hihg Priest of Amun, Ramsesnakht. The present article is a first attempt to interpret the results of the 1993-96 field seasons when the inside of the tomb and half of both its forecourts were excavated. The emphasis will be on the Ramesside constructions and re-use of the tomb and the possible historical implications.