Of all the important archaeological sites in Egypt, the Valley of the Kings contains the most exquisite tombs of the most fascinating kings in the history of the world- the Egyptian royal pharaohs.Given the name, one might be misled to think that the site only has tombs of male pharaohs. On the contrary, it was the last home to many queens, princes, princesses as well as royal high priests.It was believed that the dead had to be commemorated in a tomb to help them prepare for eternal life after death. The Valley of the Kings is crucial for its historical value, as well as the breathtaking hieroglyphics, the diverse relics, and artefacts from ancient times, and the awe-inspiring craftsmanship on the tombs contribute greatly to the site’s aesthetic value. All the tombs were constructed along the Nile river. According to popular belief, not all tombs have been discovered yet. In fact, Afifi Rahim and Zahi Hawass are still exploring the valley for the tomb of Ramses VIII. Egypt is famous for its tombs whose exact number is still a mystery.Are you an ardent lover of the history of ancient civilizations? Then do check out our articles on Kings Canyon facts and Saul king of Israel facts.Valley Of The Kings Geographic LocationThe Valley of the Kings is located opposite Thebes on the west bank of the River Nile. It is said to be situated over sedimentary rocks that span up to 1000 ft (304.8 m). It comprises cliffs with steep slopes hanging over the west bank or floodplain of the river Nile. The tombs uncovered in the Valley of the Kings were carved out of the rock. The cliffs of the valley 0f the Kings are arranged in a series of shelves, underneath the loose stones, and they steeply descend to the bedrock.The majestic necropolis of the Valley of the Kings was used as a burial ground roughly since 1539 BC. The tradition of using the valley as a major burial ground or the Theban necropolis began under Ahmose I- the first pharaoh of the New Kingdom. The valley was chosen for its convenient location, which would satisfactorily conceal the exquisite tombs of the kings, with their valuables and treasures.Earlier, in the Old Kingdom, the pharaohs were buried in pyramids, for example, the Giza pyramids and the pyramids on the banks of the Nile River. However, the tombs kept within these pyramids were not secure at all. The deceased kings got robbed of all their treasure by the First Intermediate Period of the Egyptian dynasty.Tuthmosis, or Thutmose I, was the first Pharaoh who abandoned the tradition of getting buried within pyramids, and instead chose the Valley of the Kings as his burial site. Moreover, getting buried within this barren land that lied west of the area called Luxor, would allow the pharaohs of the New Kingdom to stay closer to their southern origins, while their tombs would be safely concealed in this depopulated valley.The easiest route to the ancient ruins of the Valley of the Kings is via taxi through Luxor, if you are an independent visitor. Guided tours are also offered. All the transportation will take you to the West Bank.The guided tours will help you visit the valley during the day, usually with an Egyptologist and a driver. Independent taxi trips will take approximately forty-five minutes to the destination from Luxor. At the entrance, they will charge you 240 EGP (Egyptian currency), with occasional discounts for students aged under thirty and for kids up to 12 years of age.Significance Of The Valley Of The KingsThe Valley of the Kings is famed for its picturesque tombs and burial chambers for the pharaohs of the New Kingdom spanning from the 16 century BCE to 11 century BCE. This most famous site in Egypt had significantly contributed to the construction of empirical knowledge about the history of this African country. In the fifth century AD, Christian priests frequented the Valley of the Kings to seek refuge while spreading Christianity. They took shelter in many of the tombs of kings and pharaohs, like the KV 1, KV 2, KV 8, KV 15. They refashioned KV 3 as a prayer chapel.The red sandstones and the yellowish limestones were crucial geological features that helped facilitate the construction of luxuriously crafted tombs.Another reason for choosing the Valley of the Kings was its strategic location on the West bank of the River Nile. The west bank of the Nile was regarded by ancient Egyptians as the land of the dead since the west is where the sunsets.The Valley of the Kings contains about 63 tombs excavated in the hills anterior to the archaeological site of Dayr al-Bahri. Those are the ancient tombs of Egyptian royalty.In the Valley of the Kings, the ancient Egyptians used to bury their pharaohs. Almost all the rulers from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth dynasties of Egypt, spanning from 1539 BCE to 1075 BCE, would receive royal burials in the Valley of the Kings after their demise.The tombs excavated at the Valley of the Kings suggest that ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife; hence, ensuring a comfortable journey to the next world. Most of the tombs, which were buried under the earth contained treasures along with the mummified bodies of the pharaohs and their last belongings.Details On The Goddess Of The Valley Of The KingsMeretseger is the name of the goddess of the Valley of the Kings. She was usually depicted as a cobra, and she was said to protect the western valley and its necropolis. The tombs KV9, KV18, KV14, TT56, and KV4 commemorate Merestseger through various anthropomorphic designs. Apart from her, the sun god Re was also revered in the Valley of the Kings, and the design of many of the tombs was made to mirror his descent into the Underworld.To date, one hundred and ten burial tombs have been discovered in Egypt through archaeological expeditions. The tombs can be classified based on the period in which they were enshrined.The majority of the tombs, sixty-eight in number, are from the predynastic period of Egypt when it was divided into lower and upper Egypt. Five burial chambers can be traced to the Naqadda period while the rest (37) were created between 1782 and 1570 BCE. Some of the tombs contained the burials of babies inside earthen pots.The KV5 tomb, with the abbreviation KV standing for Kings Valley and V for the roman serial numeral five, is said to be the largest among all the ancient tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The KV5 tomb belongs to the sons of the most renowned Pharaoh of Egypt- King Ramses II.Although the royal tomb was first noticed in 1825 (which is why it was labelled the fifth tomb), one of the earliest to be discovered in fact, its magnitude was discovered only as late as 1995.Upon its first discovery, the archaeologists dismissed this tomb as of little to no significance. However, in the 1980s it came into some archaeologists’ notice, and finally, in 1995, Kent R. Weeks, an Egytopologist from the United States, excavated a concealed alcove which led to another space comprising one hundred and thirty chambers, revealing the enormous excavations. This complex tomb had three chambers, the third having been undiscovered till 1995. The third burial chamber is said to be 50 ft (15.24 m) in dimensions and has a total of sixteen stone pillars supporting the roof of the chamber. Archaeologists conjectured that this tomb constructed by Ramses II might have had at least a hundred more undiscovered rooms.Burials At The Valley Of The KingsWe find the first mention of the Valley of the Kings in the writings of two ancient tourists from Greece- Strabo in the 1st century BCE and Diodorus Siculus in the 1st century CE. In their time, 40 of the tombs in this burial place had been visited. They reported forty-seven tombs from the Theban royal family, of which only 17 had remained insulated from attacks and loots. They also mentioned that the Greeks had rediscovered the valley in the third century BC.Egypt is dotted with many tombs that remain concealed or untraced to their owners. The burial places for Queen Cleopatra and Queen Nefertiti have not yet been discovered. Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archaeologist speculated that many of the missing tombs of the Eighteenth empire might be located in the world heritage site of the Valley of the Kings.Till 1922, people thought that this famous site contained only 62 tombs. Then Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb.There are speculations about the burial place of Ankhesenamun, the wife of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Some believe that her tomb may be in Cemetery 63, next to her husband’s tomb. Others believe it might be in cemetery 21, both the cemeteries being in the Valley of the Kings.The laurel of the most fascinating and renowned tomb will unanimously be given to Tutankhamun’s tomb. The credit for its discovery goes to Egyptologist Howard Carter on 4 November, 1922. Pharaoh Tutankhamun, referred otherwise as King Tut, was the 18th ruler to sit on the throne of the eighteenth Egyptian Empire.King Tutankhamun was nine years old when he ascended the throne and was buried at the age of 19 upon his death. King Tut was a relatively minor pharaoh who is mainly known for his famous tomb, which was said to contain a remarkable treasure trove of three nested gold coffins, furniture, gold-plated wooden shrines, apparel, weapons, and numerous other valuables. All these treasures have been stored and are displayed at the Egyptian museum.One of the famous tombs had been saved from robbers in the medieval era and was discovered much later because it had been buried under the stone chips from a Ramesside tomb and the ruins of some workmen’s huts.
Of all the important archaeological sites in Egypt, the Valley of the Kings contains the most exquisite tombs of the most fascinating kings in the history of the world- the Egyptian royal pharaohs.
