Valley of The Kings

Tuthmosis changed the traditions of burial, leaving behind the era of the pyramids. He sought security in his rest, in hope of avoiding looters. As it was believed that to cross to the field of reeds, one’s belongings should accompany him in his afterlife journey, or else he could get lost in his journey.

It was drastic that all the pyramids were looted during the first intermediate period. This continued and became almost regular until Ahmose came and kicked out the Hyksos during the second intermediate period. Tuthmosis wanted to protect his tomb and his next life. Learning from his ancestors’ mistakes he decided to hide them and keep the location a secret.   The valley of the kings was located in the ancient necropolis of Thebes. Thebes was the capital of the new kingdom, existing between two branches that separated the valley into the western valley and the valley of the monkeys. The location chosen was intended for security, in a remote location, away from natural resources that even the workers and the keepers depended on the aid provided by the pharaoh then. The valley had only one entrance so it was easier to guard ensuring no unwanted entries. It went as far as those who were held captives were killed so that the location stays hidden.

The valley of the kings also known as the valley of truth contains around 63 tombs, starting with Tuthmose and ending with Ramesses X or XI. The most famous pharaohs buried there were Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramses II. It is believed that the valley holds yet secrets to be discovered and tombs to be excavated. Those captivating royal tombs are our gateway to capture some of the essences of a civilization that excelled and pioneered in art, engineering, medicine, and many other things.  Thus, UNESCO designated the valley of the kings as a world heritage site.

The tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun and all of his treasures were discovered by Howards Carter during an excavation expedition in 1922, one of the most significant tombs discovered in the Valley of the Kings.    Since then, travelers from all over the world have been drawn to the Valley of the Kings. The treasures uncovered have traveled the world on a tour to spread the word that this incredibly important discovery for the history of the ancient Egyptian civilization was discovered in the Valley of the Kings. Excavations continue in the Valley of the Kings to this day, and a rotation system is in place for visitors to visit the tombs while restoration procedures are in place to recover the tombs that were discovered.

Remember that Tutankhamun was a minor king, made famous by the fact that his tomb was the only one in the valley discovered with its contents intact, not exactly by the magnificence of his tomb compared to others. The items of his tomb are presently on exhibit in Cairo's Egyptian Museum and are being transferred to the new Grand Egyptian Museum.   To allow for a continuous cycle of care and repair, the tourist authorities only open a handful of the tombs at a time. Regardless, there are bound to be a few magnificent tombs open at any given moment. Take care to follow your guide's or guidebook's advice on which ones to enter. The most famous tombs aren't often the most magnificent, and a ticket to the Valley of the Kings only permits you to see three of them. It is necessary to purchase a separate ticket to visit Tutankhamun's tomb.