Information
Landmark: Valley of the KingsCity: Luxor
Country: Egypt
Continent: Africa
Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt, Africa
Overview
The Valley of the Kings, carved into the sunbaked cliffs of Luxor, ranks among Egypt’s most renowned archaeological sites and holds the tombs of its mighty pharaohs and influential nobles.On the Nile’s west bank near Luxor, the site served as the royal necropolis for almost 500 years-from the 18th to the 20th Dynasties, around 1539 to 1075 BC-where sun-baked cliffs guard the tombs.The valley’s best known as the resting place of Tutankhamun, the boy king whose golden mask still glints under museum lights.The pharaohs of the New Kingdom chose the Valley of the Kings as the resting place for their tombs, its cliffs glowing gold in the late afternoon sun.People believed the valley’s isolation, hemmed in by jagged mountains, would keep tomb robbers away.Pharaoh Thutmose I chose this valley for royal burials during his reign in the 18th Dynasty, around 1539 BC, when the cliffs still echoed with the desert wind.Before the Valley of the Kings was created, pharaohs were laid to rest in mastabas and towering pyramids; then came the move to rock-cut tombs carved deep into the cliffs, signaling a new chapter in Egypt’s burial traditions.The final tombs went in during the 20th Dynasty, and after that, the valley slowly faded into neglect, its paths gathering dust.The Valley of the Kings holds 63 known tombs, many adorned with vivid wall paintings and finely carved reliefs that trace the dead person’s life and guide them toward the afterlife.They carved the tombs straight into the limestone hills, sometimes burrowing so far beneath the valley that the passages ran hundreds of feet through cool, echoing rock.Each tomb has its own design-some stretch far into the rock, others twist through narrow chambers and winding corridors.One common feature is a long corridor that slopes down toward the tomb chamber, its stone floor cool underfoot.Decorations show vivid scenes from the Book of the Dead, meant to guide the dead through the afterlife’s winding paths.Burial chambers held the pharaoh’s sarcophagus, surrounded by treasures that caught the flicker of torchlight.The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62) may be the most famous in the Valley of the Kings, thanks to Howard Carter’s dramatic 1922 discovery, when the flicker of his candle revealed treasures untouched for centuries.While countless tombs had been plundered long ago, Tutankhamun’s lay almost untouched, packed with treasures-a cascade of gold, carved amulets, and the young king’s gleaming death mask.Tomb of Ramses II (KV7): Among the largest and most ornate in the valley, it was built for Ramses the Great, who ruled for 66 years and left his mark with sweeping military campaigns and colossal stone temples that still catch the sun at dawn.The tomb winds through several corridors and chambers, though most of its carvings have faded like dust on stone.Tomb of Seti I (KV17): Built for the father of Ramses II, this tomb is famed as one of the valley’s most beautiful, its walls alive with exquisite reliefs-figures and hieroglyphs carved so finely they still seem to breathe.The tomb sprawls wide, its chambers lined with walls alive in color and etched with intricate carvings.Tomb of Thutmose III (KV34): Thutmose III, one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs, rests in a tomb deep in the Valley of the Kings, its walls still glowing with faded scenes of gods and battles.Inside, vivid paintings burst with detail, showing moments from the pharaoh’s life-his soldiers charging into battle, his hands lifted in solemn ritual.In 1820, explorers uncovered the first royal tomb in the valley-the resting place of Thutmose I, its stone doorway half-buried in drifting sand.But the find that truly captured the world’s attention came in 1922, when Howard Carter uncovered Tutankhamun’s tomb, its golden mask gleaming in the Valley of the Kings.When Howard Carter uncovered the tomb, he found glittering statues, delicate jewelry, and the iconic gold mask-treasures that made it one of the 20th century’s most remarkable archaeological discoveries.In the Valley of the Kings, the tomb walls burst with color, filled with detailed paintings and carved reliefs that bring to life scenes from the Book of the Dead and other sacred funeral texts.These artworks were created to guide the pharaoh’s soul safely through the afterlife, like a lantern lighting his path in the dark.Common themes showed gods and goddesses-Osiris among them, lord of the afterlife-alongside scenes of the dead pharaoh pouring incense or performing sacred rites.The Valley of the Kings welcomes visitors, offering a chance to step into the cool, echoing tombs of Egypt’s legendary pharaohs-Ramses II, Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Thutmose III among them.You can join a guided tour or wander through the tombs at your own pace, but some spots-like a crumbling stone passage-are too fragile to enter and may be roped off.Visitor Information: Hours - The Valley of the Kings is open every day, though the exact times shift with the season, sometimes closing earlier when the late-afternoon sun turns the cliffs gold.Ticket prices change based on which tombs you choose to see, and the Tomb of Tutankhamun-cool and dim inside-almost always costs extra.Conservation Efforts The tombs in the Valley of the Kings face serious threats from humidity, shifting temperatures, and the constant shuffle of tourists, each factor slowly wearing away the vivid pigments and fragile stonework.In recent years, preservation teams have worked to protect the tombs by capping visitor numbers, shielding them from harsh light and dusty air, and installing cool, climate‑controlled chambers in a few sites.The Valley of the Kings, with its sunbaked cliffs and hidden tombs, powerfully reflects the wealth and might of Egypt’s New Kingdom pharaohs.It offers rare glimpses into how ancient Egyptians viewed death and the afterlife, and it also reveals the steady, precise hands of the craftsmen who carved their intricate gods into stone.Today, it draws crowds from across the globe and remains a focus of intense study, a silent wall of carved hieroglyphs bearing witness to Egypt’s enduring ancient legacy.
