Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is on the west bank of the Nile River, near Luxor. 63 royal tombs have been discovered in this area, as well as tombs of noble families. The size of the tombs range from very small pits to a tomb with over 120 chambers. The royal tomb contents have been subject to robbers since ancient times; however, many of the intricate wall carvings and panels still remain visible.
The valley has been subject to thunderstorms and runoff buried many of the tombs with flood debris. Thus, many of the tomb entry points were covered and unseen until exploration by archeologists.
With tickets in hand, visitors ride an extended length electric cart to/from the ticket office to an entry point for all tomb access. This can be easily walked but, in the high heat of summer months, the cart is likely a welcome sight.
We were able to enter four royal tombs during our visit to this area, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. I understand that a ticket (about $15 USD) includes entry into three tombs that are open for the day. Entry to the tomb of Tutankhamun is an extra fee (about $20 USD).
Baboons were considered as an embodiment of Thoth, the god of the moon and of wisdom and an advisor to Ra, god of the sun. |
King Tutankhamum Tomb
Lungs attached to a windpipe with lotus (Upper Egypt) and papyrus (Lower Egypt) stems, symbolizing the connection between the two kingdoms. |
Valley of the Queens
Note gold stars on the dark blue ceiling |
No comments:
Post a Comment