The
ancient workmen’s village of Deir
el-Medina is nestled in a small wadi north
of the Valley of the Queens on the Theban
west bank. The village was founded during
or before the reign of Thutmose I (1504 - 1492
BC) and flourished until the end of the
20th Dynasty (ca. 1070 BC). It was home
to the workmen responsible for constructing
the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
Upon
arrival, visitors can take in the sight
of the ruins of the settlement, most
of which dates to the Ramesside Period
(1295 - 1070 BC). Just beyond its
northern limits is a Ptolemaic temple,
dedicated to the goddesses Hathor and Maat,
consisting of a small building within an
enclosure wall. Construction of the temple
was begun by Ptolemy IV (222 - 205 BC),
and continued for the next 60 years. Immediately
north of the Ptolemaic temple are small
shrines dedicated to the deified King Amenhotep
I and his Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, Hathor,
and the Theban Triad. North of the temple’s
enclosure wall is the Great Pit, a strange
feature over 50 meters deep and 30 meters
wide, which is thought to have been an
attempted well.
Above
the settlement, hidden within the cliffs,
are the workers’ tombs.
They include some of the finest decorated
private
tombs in all of Thebes. The tombs of Sennedjem,
Inherkau, and the Tomb of Peshedu, a 19th-dynasty
servant in the Place of Truth, are currently
open to the public.
Today,
Egyptologists continue to reconstruct the
daily lives
of these workers and their
families, using the vast amount of papyri
and ostraca that have been found during
excavation of the settlement, tombs,
and multiple chapels.
HOURS OF
OPERATION:
Open daily.
1 May - Ramadan: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
(Last ticket sold at 6:00 PM.)
Ramadan - 30 April: 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
(Last ticket sold at 4:00 PM.)
TICKET COST:
Includes admission to the following monuments
which are open to the public:
The Roman Temple
Tomb of Sennedjem
Tomb of Inherkau
Egyptian:
2 LE
Foreign: 25 LE
Admission to Pashedu:
Egyptian: 1 LE
Foreign: 10 LE
50%
reduction for bearers of International
Student ID Card
LOCATION:
On the West Bank, opposite Luxor
DIRECTIONS:
BY FERRY-BOAT: From Luxor-East there is a
local ferry-boat (near the main entrance
of Luxor Temple) that runs from the Corniche
which is labeled: "National-Ferryboat".
If you choose this way you will have to
catch a taxi once you reach the west bank.
BY
BUS: You should be able to rent a minibus
from Luxor-East. Many are run through hotels
or tour groups.
BY
TAXI: Taxis from Luxor-East will be more
expensive. If you decide to
go by this way,
you can ask to go to: "maqabar al-aamal
bi deir al-medina" from there. Or take
the ferry-boat across to the Western-Bank
and catch a taxi from the dock (see below).
NO
PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED INSIDE THE TOMBS. |