Valley of the Kings: The Royal Tombs of Ancient Egypt

The Valley of the Kings is a collection of wonderful hidden underground mausoleums on the west bank of the Nile River and close to Luxor City. It holds significant historical importance in the History of Egypt; it served as the final resting place for Egyptian kings and queens of the New Kingdom era.

The reason for choosing this isolated location as tombs for kings and queens in the New Kingdom era was to prevent tomb robberies, which were common in ancient times. They selected these underground tombs in an isolated desert valley to keep them safe from thieves.

Among the different types of monuments found worldwide, underground sites such as the Valley of the Kings stand out as the best and the most attractive places. They pose unique challenges and are often considered a special category of archaeological sites.

 

What does The Valley of the Kings mean?

The new kingdom rulers’ resting site is called the Valley of the Rulers (18th to 20th dynasties). The Valley was selected with care due to its far-flung, mysterious position; This is the concept to protect the pharaohs’ tombs and valuables from damage. It is the result of the problematic funeral rites and the search for immortality accomplished by the ancient Egyptians.

Scenic view of the Valley of the Kings

Location of the Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is located close to Thebes West, on the western bank of the Nile River, throughout Luxor, and 600 kilometers south of Cairo City. The site was decided on to function as the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt’s tombs between 3500 and 3070 years BP. Located around 200 meters west of the Hatshepsut Temple, the Valley of the Kings and the West Valley are tributaries of the Wadi y Ein drainage basin.

Map showing the Valley of the Kings

When was the Valley of the Kings discovered?

The Valley of the Kings was discovered During an excavation task in 1922. Archaeologist Howard Carter revealed the Valley. The rock structure and tomb ornament of the Royal Tomb of Seti I inside the Valley of the Kings have suffered massive deterioration. This may be seen by evaluating the present-day instances of the tomb with Burton’s pictures taken between 1921 and 1928.

 

Why was Valley of the Kings constructed?

Constructing tombs was one way that the ancient Egyptians organized for the afterlife and pondered death. The promise of everlasting life and near relationships with the gods within the hereafter was a supply of outstanding perception for the ancient Egyptians. Because of this, mummification was required to keep the deceased’s body so that his immortal soul could also go back and resurrect in the afterlife. The reason for choosing this location was to safeguard their tombs from robberies.

 

Historical burial site within the Valley of the Kings

The following factors led to the choice of the Valley of the Kings as a burial site:

1. The region is surrounded by mountains and is situated in a secluded area away from the eyes, keeping it safe and easy.
2. According to religious belief, the sun god was connected to the mountain’s pyramidal summit, “dehnet,” or el-Qurna.
3. The width of the valley allows the deceased king’s funeral procession to pass across it.
4. The limestone rocks have excellent quality.

 

The division of the Valley of the Kings

There are two basic sections to the Valley of the Kings:
1- The region to the east was known as “The Great Place,” or ta-set-aat.
2- The region to the west was known as ” The Valley”, or Ta-int. most probably, the western component is in which King Akhenaten’s tomb was first constructed.

 

How many tombs are in the Valley of the Kings?

Inside the Valley of the Kings, There are fifty-six regarded tombs, 23 of which have a few indications of royal habitation. Inside the West Valley, WV, and the Valley of the Kings, KV is the number assigned to each tomb. Essential information concerning the theological and historical beliefs of ancient Egypt may be observed within the elaborately embellished tombs discovered at the Theban cemetery. They have been all brimming with riches for the Pharaohs’ hereafter.

Ancient tombs in the Valley of the Kings

 

What are the architectural features of the tombs in the Valley? 

Intricate architectural features in tombs

 The tombs positioned inside the Valley of the Kings are a fantastic example of innovative skill and architecture:

 The entrance of a tomb generally includes a sloping hall that ends in the burial chamber. The doorways were installed in the region to keep thieves far away from the tombs and guard the valuables interior. The center chamber, called the burial chamber, is where the pharaoh’s sarcophagus and other funerary objects were organized. It regularly has complicated ornamentation and representations of scenes from the religious and mythological stories of ancient Egypt. Tombs that had shaped one or right angles, which include Thutmose III’s tomb, started to slant to the left within the early 18th century.

• Starting from the tomb of Horemheb and the tomb of the 19th and 20th dynasties became straight.

What are the famous tombs in the Valley of the Kings? 

The tomb of King Tutankhamun 

Archaeologists and Egyptologists believed that the Valley had been completely excavated till they found Tut Ankh Amen’s royal tomb. After they found that the formerly discovered tombs had already been plundered and desecrated, they abandoned the desire of ever coming across a whole, undressed royal tomb.

Carter unearthed Tutankhamun’s tomb with all of his valuables and the mummy of the child king himself after discovering a limestone step inside the Valley at the start of the 20th century. The whole collection featured the king’s golden masks in addition to 3 interlocking coffins that protected the king’s mummified remains. The coffins were decorated with magical and holy hieroglyphic texts. Moreover, There are jars and a canopic box with the king’s internal organs.

Tutankhamun’s famous burial site

The tomb of Horemheb

Buried among the valleys of the kings’ tombs was Horemheb, An Egyptian ruler from the late 18th dynasty. The tomb’s walls are protected in beautiful, colorful artwork that depicts Horemheb after the deity of embalming and cemeteries. Artwork on other walls depicts the gods Horus, Anubis God, and Osiris talking to the deceased monarch. The tomb still had a few incomplete decorations, but generally, it nevertheless had adorable, eye-catching colors and complicated hieroglyphic elements.

Tomb of Pharaoh Horemheb

 

The tomb of Ramses I

Ramses I’s tomb is a tiny bit smaller than the others but otherwise identical. The tomb’s walls show the dead king Ramses receiving blessings and commands to rest in the afterlife from the ancient Egyptian gods Heliopolis and Horus.

Ramses I’s majestic burial chamber

The tomb of King Seti I

The mythical symbols, like snakes, lions, and crocodiles, which are symbolic of evil and war in Egyptian mythology, are painted from the base of the wall to the ceiling in this burial chamber of King Seti. Moreover, astronomical figures that depict how Egyptians discovered the sky are decorating it.

Seti I’s elaborate tomb

Can visitors explore the Valley of the Kings today?

Sure, all people inquisitive about exploring this wonderful archaeological site are welcome to visit the Valley of the Kings. Coming across the Valley gives a singular chance to set up a connection with the past and have a look at the pharaohs’ ongoing legacy and look for everlasting life.

Tourists exploring the Valley of the Kings

 

The story of making the Royal Tombs in the Valley of the Kings

(1) choosing the tomb’s place below the guidance of the leader workman, the architect, and the vizier.

(2) constructing the tomb.

(3) The workers carved the rock into the mountain’s interior.

 (4) Mirrors were used to mirror sunlight into the interior of the mountain so that workers could see the inner all through the day.

 (5) Extra workers arrived to polish the walls after the rocks were chopped

 (6) The vizier used to come to the place to provide commands and examine the work.

(7) Scenes from the Books of the Afterlife, which recount the sun god Ra’s trip through the netherworld at nighttime to deliver light to the afterlife and command the offering-giving to the righteous, were decorating the royal graves.

 (8) The Amduat or Imyduat, which translates to “what’s in the netherworld,” the Book of Gates, and the Book of Caverns are the representations of the Books of the Afterlife

conclusion

The Valley of the Kings, which houses the tombs of pharaohs and nobility, is a charming reminder of ancient Egyptian culture. Visitors are nevertheless attracted to this secluded place, architectural wonders, and rich history due to the fact they provide a rare window into the afterlife and the pharaohs’ enduring legacy.