Valley of the Kings
At first glance, the Valley of the Kings, also known as the Valley of the Gates
of the Kings, seems like no more than a sun-blasted gorge of generic red rock,
but underneath all of its dust lay the tombs of 63 of the most important pharaohs
in the history of Ancient Egypt. Used as a burial chamber for nearly 500 years from
the 16th to 11th century BC, the Valley of the Kings was used for royal burials for the Kings,
their families, and their possessions. In 1979, it became a World Heritage Site,
as well as the rest of the Theban Necropolis.
When was the Valley of the Kings discovered?
Discovered by Howards Carter in an excavation expedition in 1922,
one of the most important tombs found in the Valley of the Kings is the
tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun and all of his treasures. This discovery
has ever since then attracted tourists from all over the world as the treasures
found traveled the world on a tour to spread the news that this very important
discovery for the history of our civilization was discovered in the Valley of the kings.
To this day excavations are still in process in some areas of the Valley of the Kings and
a rotation system is in place for visitors to visit the tombs as restoration procedures
are in place to recover the tombs that were found.
Where is the Valley of the Kings located?
The Valley of the Kings is located on the west bank of the Nile River near Luxor.
It is the most famous site for having unique collections of tombs and breathtaking
ancient ruins. That location makes it one of the hottest spots for exploring ancient
Egyptian history. The richness of the findings here in the Valley of the Kings
has kept archeologists busy for nearly two centuries. If all of the tombs here were
open to visitors it would be nearly impossible to actually make it to all of them,
but thankfully the possibility of such a huge task is eliminated for you.
Why was Valley of the Kings built?
Building tombs were part of the ancient Egyptian’s belief in the afterlife
and their preparations for the next world. The ancient Egyptians strongly
believed in the afterlife where they promised to continue their lives
and pharaohs promised to ally with the gods. That’s why the process
of Mummification was important to preserve the body of the deceased to
allow an eternal soul to wake up and live again in the afterlife. The ancient
tombs also included all the belongings of the deceased as it believed that
they might need them once they woke up to live an eternal life.
Valley of the Kings
Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at American University in Cairo and a
National Geographic grantee said that the ancient Egyptian pharaohs included many
things in their tombs including pieces of furniture, clothes, and jewelry. However,
what remains a mystery is that they didn’t have any books buried with them.
The most interesting fact was that the tombs included many kinds of foods
and drinks such as wine and beer, as well as the precious objects that meant
to help the deceased pass on to the afterlife. The pharaoh’s favored companions
and servants also buried with them.
Valley of the Kings
Exploring the Valley of the Kings
The tourism authorities only open a few of the tombs at a time in order
to allow for a continual cycle of upkeep and restoration. Regardless,
there are certain to be several impressive tombs open at any time.
Be careful to heed the advice of your guide or guidebook on which ones to enter.
The most famous tombs are not necessarily the most impressive and
a ticket to the Valley of the Kings only allows you to enter three tombs.
A separate ticket required to enter Tutankhamun’s tomb although you may
Valley of the Kings
finds it a disappointing sight, especially given the extra cost.
During the New Kingdom’s period of ancient Egyptian (1539-1075 B.C.),
the Valley of the Kings the major burial ground for most of the royal pharaohs.
The most famous pharaohs buried there were Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramses II.
Also, you will find there the royal tombs of most of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties queens,
high priests, and other elites of that era. Remember that Tutankhamun was
a relatively minor pharaoh, made famous by the fact that his tomb the only
one in the valley that discovered with its contents still inside, not by
the grandeur of his tomb relative to the others. Those contents are now on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Valley of the Kings
Tip: While visiting remember to buy tickets at the West Bank ticket office
before arriving at it Tickets for all sites on the west
a bank must purchase at this office and cannot purchase in any other location at any of the sites.