Does a hidden door in Tutankhamun’s tomb lead to Nefertiti?

Nicholas Reeves claims the north wall of KV62 originally depicted Tutankhamun burying Nefertiti and was later overpainted to show Ay burying Tutankhamun.

Nicholas Reeves’ controversial theory that Nefertiti is buried in a hidden room within Tutankhamun’s tomb is in the news again, as Reeves claims to have found further evidence in the ‘opening of the mouth’ scene on the north wall of KV62.

above The north wall of KV62 showing Ay performing the ‘opening of the mouth’ ritual on the mummy of Tutankhamun. Nicholas Reeves claims there are traces of Tutankhamun’s cartouches beneath those of Ay, suggesting the original scene was overpainted.
The north wall of KV62 showing Ay performing the ‘opening of the mouth’ ritual on the mummy of Tutankhamun. Nicholas Reeves claims there are traces of Tutankhamun’s cartouches beneath those of Ay, suggesting the original scene was overpainted. Image: Aidan Dodson.

The scene shows Ay as pharaoh performing the ritual on the Osiride mummy of Tutankhamun, but Reeves has discovered traces of what he believes are Tutankhamun’s cartouches underneath those of Ay.

This suggests that the scene originally depicted Tutankhamun burying Nefertiti and was later overpainted to show Ay burying Tutankhamun. Reeves also argues that the facial features of the figure labelled as Ay precisely follow the standardised facial outline of Tutankhamun at the beginning of his reign, while the face of the Osiris-form mummy has the features of Nefertiti.

left A relief on a talatat block in the Brooklyn Museum depicting Nefertiti.
A relief on a talatat block in the Brooklyn Museum depicting Nefertiti. Image: Robert B Partridge.

There is as yet no conclusive evidence for the presence of a hidden door leading to an undiscovered room in the tomb.