Nestled
in the cliffs on the west bank of the Nile
at Luxor, the isolated Valley of the Kings
is home to the tombs of the great pharaohs
of the New Kingdom (1550 - 1070 BC).
They are hidden within a wadi (or valley)
formed over millennia by rainfall and water
runoff. The first known pharaoh known for
certin to have built a tomb within the
valley was Hatshepsut, although many Egptologists
believe that Thutmose I was the first to
locate his tomb here.
The
Valley of the Kings is divided into two
main branches:
the more famous East Valley
and the West Valley. Steep cliffs
define the latter’s topography, in
which only 3 tombs have been found including
the Tomb of Ay (KV 23). The eastern valley,
covering 2 hectares,
resembles a hand with splayed fingers.
To the south, towering over the valley,
is a peak shaped like a pyramid, known
as el-Qurn (the horn). Archaeologists believe
that this natural feature influenced the
choice of this site for the royal tombs.
There
are 63 known tombs in the valley, 26
carved for kings and the others granted
to royal family members or the highest
of the elite. Of these, fifteen are currently
open to
the
public:
Ramesses
I, Ramesses
III,
Ramesses IV, Ramesses V/VI, Ramesses VII,
Ramesses
IX, Seti II, Siptah, Merenptah, Thutmose
III, Thutmose IV, Mentuherkhepshef, Tausret/Sethnakht,
Ay, and Tutankhamun. They were carved
out of the cliffs as long shafts, heading
deep
underground and terminating in elaborate
burial chambers. The tombs are decorated
from top to bottom with religious images
and texts from the netherworld
books, designed to aid the journey of the
king to the afterlife.
Many
famous adventurers and archaeologists have
explored the valley, including engineer
and circus strongman Giovanni Belzoni,
and artist/Egyptologist Howard Carter,
who is famous for finding the tomb
of Tutankhamun
in 1922. Recent discoveries in the valley
include KV 5, which was re-excavated by
Dr. Kent Weeks in 1995, found to be much
more extensive
than previously thought, and identified
as the tomb of the sons of Ramesses II;
and KV 63, a cache of late 18th Dynasty
material, unearthed by Dr. Otto Schaden.
Dr. Zahi Hawass is currently leading the
first all-Egyptian team to excavate in
the valley; he is exploring the tunnel
in the tomb of Seti I and attempting
to locate the missing tomb of Ramesses
VIII.
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:
General Admission: (Includes admission
to the area and to THREE of the following
tombs, which are open to the public.)
Ramesses I
Ramesses III
Ramesses IV
Ramesses VII
Ramesses IX
Seti II
Siptah
Merenptah
Thutmose III
Thutmose IV
Mentuherkhepshef
Tausret/Sethnakht
Egyptian:
4 LE
Egyptian Student: 2 LE
Foreign: 70 LE
Foreign Student: 35 LE
Train: 2 LE
Tickets for the tombs of Ramesses VI,
Tutankhamun, and Ay must be purchased
separately (see below for details).
Tomb of Ramesses VI: Egyptian: 2 LE
Egyptian Student: 1 LE
Foreign: 50 LE
Foreign Student: 25 LE
Tomb of Tutankhamun: Egyptian: 10 LE
Egyptian Student: 5 LE
Foreign: 80 LE
Foreign Student: 40 LE
Tomb of Ay: Egyptian: 2 LE
Egyptian Student: 1 LE
Foreign: 20 LE
Foreign Student: 10 LE
Student
rates are available to bearers of a valid
student ID from an Egyptian university
or an International Student ID Card
LOCATION:
West Bank, Luxor
DIRECTIONS:
BY TAXI: ask for “wadi al-maluk” for
the East Valley (KV), and “wadi al-gurub” for
the West Valley (WV), also known as the “Valley
of the Monkeys.”
FACILITIES:
Visitor’s
center, gift shop.
NO
PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALLOWED INSIDE THE TOMBS.
Cameras must be left
outside.
This site
is not wheelchair accessible. |
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View of el-Qurn,
with the Valley of the Kings
in the foreground (Afifi Rohayem) |
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The sarcophagus
of Thutmose III, in his burial
chamber (Ken Garrett[]) |
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