It was discovered in October 1817 by the strongman of the early antiquarians, Italian Giovanni Battista Belzoni. We had a quick briefing on the history of the Valley of the Kings from Nabil where he recommended a couple of tombs as being the biggest, or the deepest, or the oldest, before heading off to explore. Hi, I am Anna. When originally discovered, the tomb made international headlines, and exhibits of the tomb were held in London in 1821, and later in Paris. THE PHOTOGRAPHS HEREIN INDICATE THAT MANY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE SUCH AS LIGHTING, FLOORS, AND STURDY HAND RAILS INSIDE THE TOMBS. Each royal tomb has scenes depicting the funeral rituals and the beliefs of ancient Egypt. Finally, you will reach a hall with four pillars with a sloping floor. It also represents the fullest development of offset, or jogged royal tombs in the valley. Osiris in various shapes decorate the pillars. First of all, it is the longest tomb in the Valley of the Kings at 450 feet. Each of the lintels is beautifully decorated. high in the Eastern valley . I caught the travel bug many years ago and have been traveling ever since. I put together a list my travel-tested tips, and things I wish I knew before going to the Valley of the kings in Luxor. I HAVE INFORMATION THAT SOME SITES IN LUXOR HAVE HELP FOR THE HANDICAP. He ruled Egypt fo 31 years and the next three rules of Egypt Ramses IV, Ramses V, and Ramses VI were all his sons. The tomb consists … Here, Belzoni found an elegant empty alabaster sarcophagus, a little less than three meters long and with walls only five centimeters thick, making it translucent. During the mummification process, a Horus eye amulet was inserted in the wound for healing purposes, and the neck was covered by a collar of thick linen layers. Needless to say, the paintings on the ceiling are absolutely stunning. The tomb of Ramses IX is situated near the entrance to the main section of the Valley of the Kings. Minor tombs generally don’t contain anything of interest. In my opinion, it is not the most glamorous tomb, however, it is definitely one of the most visited tombs in the Valley of the Kings. However, only 11 tombs are open to the public. Discovered in 1903 by Howard Carter (who less than 20 years later would find the tomb of Tuthmosis IV’s great-grandson Tutankhamun), it is above the Tomb of Monthuhirkhopshef and accessed by a separate path (though the guardians will probably show you a … As a result, it is usually the first tomb that everyone visits. Tour Egypt aims to offer the ultimate Egyptian adventure and intimate knowledge about the country. The second way to experience Egypt is from the comfort of your own home: online. We offer this unique experience in two ways, the first one is by organizing a tour and coming to Egypt for a visit, whether alone or in a group, and living it firsthand. Tutankhamen, known as King Tut, was the 12th pharaoh of the 18th Egyptian Dynasty. There are eight side-rooms along the length of this corridor and each one is decorated with interesting pictures. As you walk through the corridors, take your time and admire the uniquely decorated walls. IMPORTANT: When planning my visit to the Valley of the Kings, I struggled with finding any updated and reliable resources on the internet. It was discovered in 1817 by Giovanni Belzoni and is sometimes referred to as “Belzoni’s tomb.” Many visitors state that this is the best tomb to visit in the Valley of the Kings. Egyptologists use the acronym "KV" (standing for Kings' Valley) to designate tombs located in the Valley of the Kings. Decorations in the two pillared room are only sketched, depicting the ninth through eleventh hours of the Amduat. Once you reach the burial chamber, take a look at the ceiling. There were several canes found in his tomb. Seti I's reign is known for high achievements in art and culture, and his tomb was one of the hallmarks of his building projects, with highly refined bas-reliefs and colorful paintings. Furthermore, Tausert’s tomb was taken by Setnakht, who succeeded Tausert. You may think that the pyramids were the greatest monuments of the ancient Egyptians. Almost every inch of the space is used by decorations depicting the scenes from the Litany of Ra, the Book of Caverns, the Book of the Dead, the Book of Gates, and the Book of Nut. Tomb of Tutankhamun (62) Tomb of Tutankhamun. The tomb of Tausert and Setnakht is definitely a visually stunning tomb. First of all, it is the longest tomb in the Valley of the Kings at 450 feet. And, in the middle are the  broken remains of a large granite outer sarcophagus of Rameses VI. In ancient Egyptian religion the scarab was also a symbol of immortality, resurrection, transformation and protection much used in funerary art. Another important work is his memorial temple at Abydos, which he dedicated to Osiris and six other deities and decorated with reliefs of great delicacy on which much of the original colour remains. The burial chamber is not the end of the this tomb, for the tomb is physically connected to the underworld by a corridor that leads from the back of the crypt down to the water level. The ceiling of the corridor is probably one of the most stunning decorations I have seen in all the tombs. Check it out before heading to the Valley of the Kings and find out how to buy tickets, save time, avoid lines, and how to make your visit efficient and memorable. The ceiling of the burial chamber is painted with astronomical decorations. King Tut’s tomb remained undiscovered for centuries. The interesting fact about Amenhotep IV is that he forbade the worship of multiple gods in favor of one, Aten, the sun disk. After his death, Tausert formally ascended the throne of Egypt. It shows a sun disk with a ram-headed god adored by four worshipping baboons. It records specific constellations of the night sky along with the various decans or calendar units. Moreover, you will be amazed by the astronomical ceiling which shows pictures of divine barques and processions of gods in yellow standing out sharply from the dark blue background. Wilkinson numbered the 21 tombs known to him (some of which had been open since antiquity) according to their location, starting at the entrance to the valley and then moving south and east. The tomb was completed by his successor Ramses VI. You will pass through several corridors divided by lintels. Nowadays, you will be able to see beautifully decorated walls and ceilings depicting King Tut’s life and death. It is not known when the tomb was first discovered. Siptah ruled for about 6 years. It was discovered in October 1817 by the strongman of the early antiquarians, Italian Giovanni Battista Belzoni. The tomb of Seti I is the most spectacular tomb in the Valley of the Kings. To the left and to the right, holes in the ground mark the entrance of the tombs. Additionally, Amenhotep IV moved the capital of Egypt from Thebes to Armana. Even many of the major tombs discovered revealed very little, and quite often they have been virtually emp… The tomb was discovered only a few days after the tomb of his father, Ramesses I. However, visiting Valley of the Kings is one of the most important and most impressive sights in Egypt. Left: A scene from the Amduat on the walls of the tomb of Thutmose III, KV34, in the Valley of the Kings.Right: Thutmosis III statue in Luxor Museum. I glad you found the information useful. Two newly-discovered tombs have been reported on the west bank of the Nile, near the ancient Egyptian city of Luxor and the world-famous Valley of the Kings. Further annexes include a small annex at the back right of the crypt, a two pillared annex to the back left, and a four pillared annex off the back of the crypt. We know that he was disabled and required a cane to walk. Copyright 2018 Intrepid Scout - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP. On the upper walls are scenes from the sixth through eighth hour of the Amduat. The longest tomb in the Valley of the Kings at 450 feet, the deepest dig (by way of a plummeting passage) at more than 200 feet, and composed of eleven chambers, the long-closed site is open to the public once again. The Valley of the Kings is an area in Egypt located on the West bank of the Nile River, across from the city of Thebes. The tomb culminates in a massive burial chamber with an amazing arched ceiling. "Kampp 161" is believed to date back 3,500 years according to preliminary estimates. Your email address will not be published. What is the Valley of the Kings? Tomb of Merenptah: Best tomb in Valley of the Kings - See 217 traveller reviews, 100 candid photos, and great deals for Luxor, Egypt, at Tripadvisor. Tutankhamun was the son-in-law of Akhenaten, and died (in circumstances unknown) in his 18th or 19th year. In addition, I constantly faced changing rules pertaining to photography, opening hours and ticket prices. The study conducted in 2010 of King Tut’s DNA suggested that he had malaria. In the back of this room to the right is attached another room of similar dimensions with two pillars. I TRAVELED 23 TIMES TO EGYPT FROM 1978-1997. Some of the decorations on the other pillars were removed, and are now displayed entirely intact at the museum in Berlin. Moreover, it is composed of 11 chambers. This is one of the deepest and most vibrantly colored tombs in the Valley of the Kings. One of the largest and deepest tombs constructed during the 18th dynasty. Tausert was the wife of Seti II. In the antechamber, Seti is shown sacrificing and praying before Anubis, Isis, Horus-son-of-Isis, Hathor and Osiris. The official name for the site in ancient times used to be: The Great and Majestic Necropolis of the Millions of Years of the Pharaoh, Life, Strength, Health in The West of Thebes. So, the tomb is called Tausert-Sethnakht. For those pharaohs buried in the Valley of the Kings, work on their tombs would be entrusted to an architect and the craftsmen who lived in the village of Deir el-Medina.Each day the workmen would commute to the tomb that was being built over the mountains crest on a trail that can still easily be crossed today. This tomb, which had been previously discovered but dismissed as insignificant, was again located in the late 1980s and partially excavated in the 1990s. One of the great achievements of Egyptian art, this cathedral-like tomb is the finest in the Valley of the Kings. Next, it is the deepest of all the tombs at more than 200 feet. The right camber was called the "Chamber of Djed" (a symbol of Osiris). Although, all the artifacts were looted long time ago, you will be still amazed by the beautifully decorated walls and ceilings inside the tombs. However, the story behind this tomb is fascinating. Within the ritual shaft, decorations follow an established pattern showing the king before various gods. The burial chamber is clearly divided into two parts, a six pillared room and at the back, a crypt. The main kings and rulers of the eighteenth were the only ones who were allowed to be buried in the valley. The first tomb I enter is the tomb of Ramesses IV (1155-1149 BC) who ruled only 7 years. Needless to say, his intent was to reduce the power of the priests. I HAVE FOUND YOUR INFORMATION INVALUABLE. This tomb is small but deep underground. Discovered by Howard Carter on November 4, 1922, the Tomb of Tutankhamun is by far the Valley of the King's most famous tomb. 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