The Valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes (Luxor nowadays) in Theb’s heart cemetery. The Valley consists of two valleys: the East Valley ( where the royal tombs are situated ), the West Valley (monkeys’ Valley).
By the year 2005, the Valley contained 64 tombs and chambers, and it was the principal burial place of the Egyptian new kingdom’s significant royal family.
About the Valley
Around 500 years from the 16 century till 11 century, the kings and Nobel’s main cemetery containing 64 tombs is hidden under the rock’s sand and cliffs.
The ideology of building tombs in this location came due to the failure of building pyramids. Generally, the ancient Egyptians built 118 pyramids, the gap between the first pyramid and Nile valley around 1500.
So the first king who decided to change the burial way was king Ahmose, the first principal founder of the new kingdom and revealed Thebes’ role as the new capital of Egypt and the new technique for burial.
The history of the Valley
The history of the Valley is divided into three epochs.
First epoch
During the reign of the new kingdom between the year 1565 b.c until the year 1035 b.c, the ancient Egyptians changed Egypt’s capital from Memphis to Thebes. They stopped building pyramids after exploring the new technique of building their tombs carved in scales instead of building pyramids.
Generally, during the old kingdom era, the ancient Egyptian kings built their tombs in pyramids. Until now, is excavated in Egypt 118 pyramids, most of them are in ruins and lousy condition.
But after changing the capital of Egypt from Memphis to Thebes Luxor, the ancient Egyptians noticed that on the western bank of Luxor lies gurna mountain, and they were thinking about changing the tomb design from the pyramid to holes unseen in this mountain.
The first king who was very keen on this idea was king thutmosis 1st, and the last one was king Ramses the 11 th.
Second epoch
In the middle ages, voyagers started to travel to Egypt, and they were very curious about the treasure buried inside the mountain on the western bank of the Nile and in temples in the west and east bank indeed.
Lots of amateurs from Europe traveled to Egypt generally in the middle ages, especially after the French expedition of Napoleon to Egypt searching for treasures inside the land of Egypt, since the expedition of Napoleon had a significant role in revealing the value of Egypt’s antiquities.
One of the essential archeologists who played a significant role in excavations in the Valley of the kings is the Italian archeologist Belzoni, who was the first archeologist who entered the pyramid of king Chephren. His innovation of the “numbering system” in the kings’ Valley was a method to protect exponents discovered in the tombs of the Valley of the kings.
The second archeologist who afforded a lot of effort in the Valley of the king’s excavations was archeologist victor loret, whose team, through his directions, discovered the tomb of King Thutmose the third in February 1898.
Later, the most famous archeologist Hayward Carter discovered the tomb of king tut ankh amon in November 1922.
Excavation tomb tut ankh amon didn’t appear in the Valley of the kings or anywhere in Egypt. Excavation is more critical than discovering this tomb and its treasure, which fascinates tourists from the whole world, even Egyptians themselves indeed.
Third epoch
After discovering the tomb of king tut ankh amon, the significance of this location was revealed highly to both Egyptians and foreigners throughout the whole world.
So the tourists from different destinations in the world started to visit Luxor with its antiquities, and the Valley of the kings became the principal place recommended to visit for everyone visit Luxor or Egypt.
And after less than 60 years, UNESCO listed the Valley of the kings to the world heritage in 1979.
Growth of tourists number who visit Valley of the kings reached recently in the year 2010 and after the recovery of tourism state between the year 2017 till the year 2020.
Approximately 7000 tourists visit the Valley of the kings daily in the wintertime and summertime, less than 3000.
Choosing the location of this Valley
The ancient Egyptians tried hard to get the proper place to bury their bodies after death in a dry place to keep their bodies highly preserved as long as possible till getting a rebirth after their death.
At the beginning of ancient Egyptian civilization, the ancient Egyptians built their tombs in pyramids.
But after changing the capital of Egypt to Luxor by the beginning of the new kingdom.
They needed to change the king’s burial since most pyramids were robbed after the king’s death.
So they needed a new technique. Instead of building pyramids, they tended to construct their tombs on the western bank for the following reasons :
- It lies on the west bank of Luxor, where the sunset was the symbol of death.
- Secondly, it is very far from the east bank and people, so it is safe to bury the mummies of the kings and their treasures.
- The mountain’s cliffs are created from sandstone and limestone, making high levels of dryness that perfectly preserve the mummies.
- The valley type helped the ancient Egyptian guard this place ideally since just three guards could get the whole Valley under their control.
- Also, a hypothetical opinion refers to the type of mountain which very similar to the form of the pyramid was a significant effect on choosing this place, referring to sun god ra making the Valley a holy place.
Facts about the Valley
- The reason for choosing the kings’ Valley is that it lies on the western bank of the Nile, where there is daily sunset which refers to death according to ancient Egyptian ideology.
- The remote location of the Valley was also vital in choosing this place to save the tomb’s treasures from m robbers.
- It is crucial not to ignore these mountain factors from limestone and sandstone to preserve the king’s mummy in dry weather.
- In this Valley, there are 64 tombs, all of them more than 3000 years old.
- Twenty-six kings are buried in this Valley in 24 tombs since two tombs have two kings buried inside them.
- Twenty tombs were dedicated to nobles and the royal family.
- The rest of the tombs are false tombs to secure the real ones from the robbers.
- The construction of each tomb was done by the best workers in Egypt who lived on the western bank in Deir al madinat village.
- Each king started to construct his tomb directly after holding the throne of Egypt.
- Construction of each tomb started directly after holding the throne till his death.
Excavations in the Valley of the kings
Discovering tombs in the Valley of the kings was extended through lots of years, there were lots of European voyagers and amateurs who were very interested in excavation and treasure collecting in Egypt generally and kings Valley in Luxor especially .,
French, German, British, and Egyptians played a significant role in excavating the kings’ Valley.
The most important discoveries in king’s Valley are the discovery of the tomb of king Tutankhamon.
One of the crucial discoveries in King’s Valley was the tomb of King Thutmose 3 by archeologist victor loret.
additional information about the Valley of the kings
- according to the ticket of the Valley, it costs 240 L.E
- With a ticket to the Valley, visitors can visit three tombs in the Valley.
- now it is not forbidden to take photos inside the tombs just by mobile for free
- There is an option to buy an extra ticket to take photos by camera costs 300 l.e.
- Extra ticket for the tomb of king tut ankh amon costs 300 l.e.
- Extra ticket for the tomb of Ramses 5th and 6th costs 100 l.e.
- Extra ticket for the tomb of king seti first costs 1000 l.e.